Killing Spree
by AnimeAddiction0-0
Summary: As a rookie of assassination, Tatsumi began his mission to carry out justice. Yet due to a sudden encounter, he was thrown headfirst into the raging tempest of conflicts at the very heart of Imperial Army. As the boy struggled to survive the ordeals awaiting him, the veil covering the mysterious woman who bears the title of ' The Empire's Strongest' was also gradually lifted...
1. Kill the Trust

Disclaimer: I do not any characters in Akame Ga Kill, so lawyers, don't sue me.

**Tatsumi**_:_

With a deft flourish of my sword, I cleanly sliced through thick layers of muscles and tissue, and severed the soldier's unprotected neck. Taking a small step back, I avoided the gushing fountain of blood that stained the rich, elaborately embroidered rug an ugly shade of red.

Six. That was the number I had slain that night. Five of them were guards, and the other was the wife of the owner of this mansion. All of them were guilty. The primary target of our mission, Baron Szech the 2nd, partook in numerous cases of kidnap and drug manufacture. The abducted victims became test subjects for drugs still in stages of preparation. Most of them died within days, and those remaining alive were afflicted of drawn out episodes of withdrawal until they eventually pass away from various illnesses and organ failures. The pain was said to be more excruciating than any torture.

As usual the police were too eager to ingratiate themselves into the Prime Minister's good will to fulfill their duties, and the small handful that attempted to oppose through peaceful, or in this case legal means were swiftly silenced. From the information we scavenged, being stripped of political standing and banished to the frigid northern borders was by far the fortunate and desirable outcome. In this massive nest of decay and corruption, laws were merely tools, implements wielded by the rich and the esteemed to grant themselves righteousness over whatever atrocious deed they committed. The weak, the poor, the great majority of civilians in this country became helpless prey to the few that held power in their grasp. It was sickening to think that human lives were worth so little.  
I advanced forward aggressively, brandishing my sword with a surge of vigor and weaving through a thicket of pointy weapons. The familiar sensation of flesh being severed traveled up my arm each time my blade struck home and I watched in grim satisfaction as my opponent's lifeless form crumbled to the ground.

Adrenaline pumped into my exhausted muscles while I drove them harder to fend off the furious flurry of blows raining down on me. Up. Right. Parry. Duck. Left. Left. Parry. My last opponent, a large, vicious monk lunged forward, twirling a pair of daggers in his hands. Squinting my eyes in concentration, I tilted my body to let one skim perilously pass my ear, blocked the other using the guard of my blade and retaliated by slamming my fist as hard as I could into the man's face.

CRACK! The monk staggered back, a stream of blood splattering down his crushed nose as he shook his head wildly to escape the sudden pain. Not daring to let the opportunity slip by unexploited, I shot forward, consciously lowering my balance, and lashed out. I struck his jaw with a spinning kick from the right, sending him crashing into hard stone wall. I ran toward to the disorient man and swung my sword in a low arc, aiming to impale his bare chest. It should've been over at that moment.

The whistling tip of my sword was an inch from spilling his guts when a well-placed kick at my ankle threw me off my feet. I crashed painfully on the carpeted floor, hissing at the dull throb of pain from my ribcage. Quickly, I rolled to the side and dodged the dagger that lodged itself on the spot I was a split-second ago. Before I knew it, the snarling face of the monk occupied my entire vision. He threw himself over me, bellowing at the top of his lungs and stabbed at my throat with his remaining dagger. Now that I could examine the sharp tool closely, I discovered that a thin layer of glittering semi-transparent substance was smeared across the entire blade. Poison. Gritting my teeth, I pulled back my head as much as I could…

…and banged it against his forehead with all the strength I could muster. After yet another resounding crack, the man's conscious finally gave in, sending him toppling face-first onto the ground without further ado.

I winced at the pain spiking through my left hand. The knuckle of my middle finger was popped out its socket when I punched the man. It was a minor injury, but the pain of shoving the dislocated joint back in place was still a nasty ordeal for any patient, especially when you have to do it yourself.

"All done" I muttered to myself, sinking my blade into the exposed chest of the unconscious monk. _That makes nine_. I thought. I dislodged my sword and wiped it cautiously with a piece of cloth to ensure that not a blemish could be found on the weapon's smooth surface. The soldiers wouldn't arrive at the scene until half an hour later, and it's best to clean the blade before returning it to its scabbard to lengthen its period of use. After a thorough inspection, it slid back into its sheath with a small, musical _clink_.

"Now let's go back before this place gets swarmed" My job was sneak into the mansion, kill the Lady, kill the guards if I have the time, sneak out and rendezvous back at the base. Everything was going perfectly fine up to this point and I was even several minutes ahead of the initial agenda. There was nothing that could go wrong at this point. I managed to survive the annoying infiltrating part, the dangerous assassinating part and the very dangerous fighting my way out of the building part without making any mistakes or sustaining major injuries. All I need to do is confirm that nobody's tracing my footsteps before I return to the base as a standard precaution. My face split into a great grin at the thought of the 'reward' awaiting me back at the headquarters.

I sprinted across the large yard, trampling countless flowers and plants that were grown with utmost care and prudence, discarding my blood-soaked T-shirt and trousers, and flipped over the tall fence with perfect ease…only to find myself face to face with the epitome of horror: women.

For a several long moments of silence, we just stared each other quietly.

"Are you waiting for me to arrest you?" she asked coldly, sending a bone-chilling wave of shudders down my spine. I just realized that she was tightly garbed in standard military uniform from head to toe, including the white cap, the tall leather boots and the kaki jacket buttoned up to very first hole. She was the walking advocate of the phrase 'immaculate', and she was having a staring match with a man in his boxers and boxers only. Shit.

"Um, no, not really, but will you chase me and arrest me if I run?" I asked nervously, shuffling my feet back as fast as humanly possible. What were of odds of running into a gorgeous female military officer in the dead of the night while wearing nothing but a pair of striped boxers? This kind of shit only happened to me.

"No" she replied shortly.

"Thank you! I mean this is really an awkward situation due to my state of dress, or err…state of undress, and I sort of expected you to scream or call the police…wait, you are the police. Anyways, what I want to say is that I'm usually not like _this_, like I wear clothing and stuff like that. Actually, there are quite a number of people who say I'm handsome when I dress up for"

"I will kill you" she stated calmly. I held my breath. She wasn't kidding. The killing intent she was emitting was so thick it was tangible and I felt like someone was slowly squeezing the air out of my lungs. She's strong, much stronger than me. I have to escape.

Silently, I drew my blade and entered a defensive stance, training my eyes on the woman. She didn't display any intent of drawing a weapon, despite that she had a rapier hanging on her belt. Her entire stance was relaxed and composed as if she was merely having a midnight stroll on the streets. That wasn't good. My instincts were practically screaming at my brain, telling me to flee as fast as my feet would carry me, and my brain was screaming back, because the instant I turn my back on that woman will also be the moment of my death. I had no choice. I had to take the offense and find an opening to run away.

"It's not really nice, for a pretty girl like you to say things like"

I dashed forward. I swung my sword. The sword flew out of my hand. I felt my something rupture in my abdomen when her fist sank into it. I stumbled backward. And I looked into her eyes.

This time I felt like I was crushed from all sides by freezing icebergs, and the pressure increase exponentially with each step she took toward me. My knees shook and wobbled, my breath became shallow even as I tried desperately to gulp down more air, and what terrified me the most was I couldn't break contact with her eyes. They were cold, emotionless, like a pair of dark blue voids that freezes everything upon touch, and it chilled me down to the marrow. I was the helpless prey, a quavering lump of meat waiting to be butchered, and she was the cruel predator that just caught her next meal. I was amazed that I didn't soil myself on the spot.

She drew her rapier. Its pointed tip quickly found the base of my throat and hovered a millimeter above my skin. I knew what that meant.

She was giving the chance to yield.

She wanted me to grovel at her feet and plead for my life like a slave. I bit my lip, letting the scalding pain course through my mind and glared at her with burning intensity.

Suddenly, the pressure lifted and I found myself on my knees, gasping and drenched with cold sweat. My legs refused to listen when I tried to get back on my feet and flee as fast as I could from the looming terror standing before me. I scrambled backward in a blind frenzy to escape, using my hands as substitute as I tried to create as much distance as possible between the two of us.

"Don't move" she said in the same cold tone.

My body reacted before I could register her order. Every muscle I could actively command wound itself up in a rigid lock. But to my utter relief, she didn't try to approach me, instead she extracted a pen and a rolled up piece of paper from her front pocket. For a full minute, she wrote intently, and silence fell once more upon us. My heart pounded so hard that it was thundering against my eardrums and each beat I heard felt like a countdown leading to my imminent demise. I didn't dare move nor speak, in fear of angering the woman and forfeiting my life in the process. Finally, she finished and sealed the paper tightly with a wax crest. It was tossed at my feet.

"Tomorrow, take this to army, and tell them to deliver it to Warrant Officer Shirley of the City Guard" she ordered me, walking away as she spoke.

"Wait!" I couldn't believe myself when I heard myself calling after her. I had gone mad from fear. She stopped, and turned to look at me.

"Wh…who are you?" I asked, cursing myself for my stuttering.

For a split second, I thought I saw the faintest curve tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"It's a surprise"

It was until I saw her silhouette vanish from the line of my sight that I was able to stand up from the ground, latching on to a nearby lamppost as support.

My eyes found the small scroll of paper lying innocently on the ground. At that particular moment, one thought occupied the entirety of my mind.

_I am doomed_

**Akame:**

I was angry. When I saw Tatsumi staggering into the room wearing only a pair of boxers, I was angry. Tatsumi was stupid. Between the smart choice and the right choice, he would always choose the right choice, and end up getting hurt. He wanted to help others, he didn't want people he care about to get hurt, but he never realized that getting hurt himself is the same as hurting the people who care about him. Tatsumi is a dolt. Tatsumi is an idiot. And today, he did something stupid again. And I hated it when Tatsumi did something stupid.

I decided not speak to him. I'll let him know that I'm angry.

At least until he properly apologizes and admits that he's incorrigible idiot.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I made you all worry again. I really am a hopeless idiot, ha ha"

I glared at Tatsumi. Tatsumi looked back at me and smiled. I turned my head away. I refused to let him get away so easily.

"Akame?" Ignore.

"Akame-sama?" Keep ignoring.

"Aaaaaakame-chan, I'm so sorry that I made you worry so much. I'll buy you chocolate next time we get into town, I promise" Tatsumi pleaded. Tatsumi clapped his hands together. Tatsumi is going to buy me chocolate if I forgive him.

I was a good girl. Forgiving others is what good girls do. Getting chocolate was merely a blissful bonus. So as a good girl, I forgave Tatsumi. I wanted white chocolate.

"You got hurt again, Tatsumi" I must not be too nice. Being too nice would make Tatsumi think that getting my forgiveness is easy. He wouldn't give me chocolate next time. No. Correction. Being too nice would make Tatsumi think that it's okay to get hurt. I must maintain a harsh mask. I will make Tatsumi cry.

"Ah, the guards at mansion were unexpectedly strong. I got roughed up pretty badly" Tatsumi chuckled. Something was wrong with Tatsumi's chuckle. I suspected that Tatsumi was lying.

Lying is bad. Lying to comrades is awful. Tatsumi was not awful. Tatsumi was not lying. Tatsumi was nice. Tatsumi was telling the truth. I was too paranoid. I must learn to trust my companions.

I nodded. I looked at Leone. She responded by grinning. We tackled Tatsumi.

"WAIT! What are you two doing? I'm only wearing boxers! I'm not hurt over there! Stop! No! My chastity!"

"Quit complaining, virgin boy. You don't understand how lucky you are as a man to be groped by two lovely women like Akame-chan and I" Leone started laughing. Leone started tickling Tatsumi. Tatsumi started laughing. Tatsumi looked happy. I wanted to make Tatsumi happy too. I also started tickling Tatsumi. Tatsumi laughed harder. Tatsumi began to cry. Mission accomplished.

Najenda told us to let go of Tatsumi. Tatsumi began his report. Tatsumi's report was very detailed. I listened to his report. And I felt odd. Tatsumi said 4 times that the guards were very strong. I thought they were weak. Was it because Tatsumi was weaker than me? But he handled guards of the same level easily during other missions. Tatsumi also said that they were all armed. But Tatsumi's injuries were by inflicted a person's fist. I thought Tatsumi was hiding something from us. I felt bad for suspecting Tatsumi.

"Is that all?" Najenda asked Tatsumi. Najenda was frowning. Was Najenda suspecting Tatsumi too?

"Well, there's one more thing…" Tatsumi slowed down. Tatsumi was twirling his thumbs. Tatsumi seemed troubled. Correction. Tatsumi seemed nervous. I was nervous too.

"I want to infiltrate the Imperial Army"

"NO!" I yelled. Najenda yelled at the same time. Tatsumi is being stupid again. Tatsumi must've made a promise to someone. I will not let Tatsumi be stupid again. Tatsumi must not die.

"Hey, man, we all know that you've got a few screws loose up here…" Lubbock pointed at his head. Lubbock walked toward Tatsumi. Lubbock grabbed Tatsumi's collar. Lubbock was being intimidating.

"…but if you want to commit suicide, don't drag the rest of us down to hell with you. Infiltrate the Imperial Army? You make it sound like sneaking into the girl's dormitory in college. The only reason we're still flopping around in this world is because we always tidy up our loose ends. We don't leave traces, we don't leave tracks, hell, we even spray perfume on clothes so that the dogs would go chasing after bitches instead of us. But when you get caught, they're gonna pry your mouth open and make you spill all that useful junk you have inside. I don't care how strong-willed you are and how fierce your conviction is, it doesn't matter. Everybody breaks. It's just a matter of time. And when that happens, beady-eyed bastards are gonna come swarming all over the place like termites. And BOOM, end of Night Raid. You get what I'm saying, pea-brain? I don't care if you try to stick your head into an earthworm's asshole, which is also its mouth, by the way, but I won't let you jeopardize the entire organization" Lubbock spoke fiercely. I agree with Lubbock. But I do not want Tatsumi to get hurt. If Tatsumi tries to commit suicide, I will stop him.

"Yeah, I thought so too… It's just that someone I know offered me a chance to be enlisted as a member of the City Guard and I thought that I would be able to gather some useful data for the Revolution Army if I accept"

"Still the risk is far more than we can afford, and I doubt that a normal City Guard Private can gain access to any valuable information" Najenda said firmly. I agreed. The risk was too great, it might be a trap.

"Well, depending on the skills I display, they can promote me to a Specialist or even a Corporal directly after being enlisted" I never heard of such cases before. Something felt fishy.

"Who is this 'someone' that you know? What is his relationship with the military? How do you know that he's not trying lure you in and capture you? Your cover might've blown and you didn't even realize it! Shit!" Lubbock began to shout. Lubbock was angry. Braht stepped forward and put a hand on Lubbock's shoulder. Lubbock calmed down.

"Tatsumi, was that really what the man said? Answer truthfully, it's very important" Braht said.

"Yes" Tatsumi answered. The two of them stared at each other.

Braht exhaled deeply.

"There were such cases before" Braht spoke. I was surprised.

"When I was still in the military, I was sent to fight at the northern border against the tribes. Among our ranks, there was a unique task force consisting of a small handful of Imperial Arms users who specialize in fighting. They were the special troops commanded directly by General Esdese, and they call themselves 'The Ravagers'. They were granted the authority to command normal soldiers below Sergeant Rank, and even Majors like me were advised to steer clear of their way if possible. Truth to be told, I was rather irritated, but I never had a direct conflict with them"

Najenda frowned. "I've heard of them before. They're bloodthirsty monsters who kill with indifference" I have also heard of them before. They kill enemies and allies. They slay everyone standing in their way.

"While that may be true, it's also a fact that they contributed greatly in the battlefield. Without them, the war probably would've been dragged out for another month at least. Fortunately for us, most of them were dead by the time we won the war and Esdese disbanded the rest after she returned to the Capital. But now, I'm afraid that…"

"…the military is trying to build another secret task force" Mein finished. There will be Imperial Arm users like me. Tatsumi doesn't have an Imperial Arm. Only Users can fight against Users. Tatsumi is in danger.

"Yes, and if that indeed is the case, we must proceed with extra caution from now on. We've become a sore thumb for the Capital and the City Guard, with all the nobles and aristocrats we're killing off, and I imagine they would be paying us some unwanted attention. It would be best for us to operate on a low profile for the time being" said Najenda.

"Tatsumi, take Mein and go meet that acquaintance of yours tomorrow. We need to find out if he's threat to us or not" Najenda ordered. I cannot go, because I am wanted. I want to go.

"Lubbock, go look for clients. We won't let the Capital stop us with something like this. But keep an eye out for danger"

"Yes, ma'am! I will complete my mission even at the cost of my life!"

"The day you die will truly be a day worth celebrating"

"Shut your trap, beast woman! Next time your limbs get cut off I won't sew it back for you!" Leone and Lubbock are bickering again. The tension lifted. I started to smile.

"Alright, everyone is dismissed! Go to bed! Especially you, Braht! Don't mess with your hair all night!" Najenda stood up from her chair and stretched. Najenda loosened up. That was good.

"Alas, it's a sin to be stylish!"

"You looked better when you were in the military" I laughed.

"Hey, Akame" Tatsumi called me and waved his hands.

"Can you come with me for a few minutes?" Tatsumi asked me. I nodded.

I followed Tatsumi away from the Great Hall. He took me to the sparring field. I was puzzled. Did he want to practice now?

"Can you spar with me, Akame?" Tatsumi asked. I nodded.

"Why now, Tatsumi?" I inquired. There must a reason. But I don't know if he'll tell me.

"It's nothing major, I just felt a little rusty when I was fighting the guards today, and I didn't want to sleep on that"

Tatsumi didn't tell me. I felt sad.

Tatsumi threw a wooden sword at me. I caught it. He raised his sword.

_Combat mode, activate._

Enemy: Skilled sword user x 1

Condition: Tired

Speed: Slow

Strength: Average

Vitality: Low

Weakness: Legs, Knee Joint, Wrist Joint, Injured Abdomen

Threat: Minimal

Estimated Kill Time: 11 seconds

Commence Battle

Slash to the right. Blocked. Enemy advancing. Enemy attacking with sword from lower left direction. Enemy attack, blocked.

Leap. Kick. Kick successful. Enemy balance disrupted. Pursuing enemy. Horizontal slash. Evaded.

Focus on enemy wrist joint. High kick. Kick successful. Enemy weapon discarded. Thrust. Thrust successful. Hit enemy abdomen.

Enemy defeated. Objective accomplished.

Report:

Final Kill Time: 6.73 seconds

Damage sustained: none

Current physical state: Stable

_Combat mode: deactivate_

Tatsumi collapsed on the ground. Tatsumi was shaking. I felt it when he first blocked my slash. Tatsumi's hand was shaking. What was wrong with Tatsumi?

I was worried. I sat down beside him. I held his hand.

"Thanks" Tatsumi muttered.

"Tell me…"I said. Tatsumi turned his head and looked at me.

"…when you want to" I finished. Tatsumi chuckled.

We sat there, looking at the star spangled sky. I waited. Was there something I could do for Tatsumi? I didn't know. I just want to be there for Tatsumi if he wants to talk. It is what friends do. Tatsumi and I are good friends.

"Say, Akame, who's the strongest person you've ever met?"

I pondered for a moment. Boss? Leone? Mein? Is Tatsumi expecting me to say someone? Will he be disappointed if I say another person's name?

"… me"

"Yeah, I thought so too" Tatsumi said, laughing. No sarcasm detect.

"How long did it take you to beat me tonight, Akame?"

"7 seconds"

"I see…" Tatsumi seemed to thinking about something.

"Thanks a lot, Akame. I know what I'm going to do from now on!" Tatsumi flashed me a brilliant grin. Tatsumi jumped up. Tatsumi offered me his hand.

I took it. We walked back.

Tatsumi is an idiot. Tatsumi will keep being an idiot. But I hope that someday…

...he can be my idiot.

**Esdese:**

Tonight certainly was eventful, I concluded as I briskly walked down the long, ornate corridors of the palace toward my temporary living quarters. There were soldiers patrolling and stand guard behind every door, straightening their backs and saluting when they saw me. I returned the gesture.

The audience I had with the young King was both dull and unproductive. I was even required to commend and praise him for the glorious deeds, in other words flatter him to get into his good graces. I fail to see the point of doing so. The King was ruler in name and name only. Every decision, policy, or command was the will of the Prime Minister, who was only using the boy as his public speakerphone. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he's planning a coup d'état to overthrow the current line of royalty. When the day comes, I will gladly him offer him a slow and painful death.

Yet, the Capital was indeed in poor state. Tension was brewing slowly yet steadily among the citizens, and the first signs of riot were beginning to bud. The prices of commodities such as food, clothing, and farming tools were skyrocketing to ridiculous heights, stealing and mugging were now common practices in the alleys. Moving out of the capital was not a choice, for you have to pay a hefty amount of money to be granted access outside the gates. Smugglers and their families were executed. Merchants who failed to pay their tribute to the government were executed. Publishers and writers who even subtly implied the apparent incompetence of the ruling faction were tortured to death. This thousand-year Empire was slowly marching toward its own demise. What a most fascinating display to behold. Humanity is indeed rotten at its core.

I could hardly care less for the fate of this nation. My allegiance belonged to no one but myself. I acquired joy and pleasure through harming others, and I shall fight for the one that can granted me the best stage. Those who died had no right to complain. They were weak.

Yet tonight, I discovered a strange boy.

He was weak, and thus I had every right to take his life. But what struck me odd was his queer behavior. He refused to yield. With my sword a millimeter away from impaling his throat, he glared at me as if inviting me to end his life. Did he think that he still stood a chance, even after being brought to his knees by my presence alone? That was certainly not the case. I saw the fear and despair stirring restlessly in his eyes, just like all the other useless men I had slain. But hidden deep beneath, there was still a spark of defiance, a broken piece of pride that he stubbornly held onto. Interesting…

I realized that he had potential. He had a fit body suited for training, a young mind capable of being bent, and a strong spirit that wasn't easily broken. The conditions were all met. He could be made into my next toy…

…and I will train him personally to enjoy his screams to the fullest.

But first I must assure that he was enlisted into the Army, otherwise the Prime Minister would certain pester me relentless for his information. His perseverance was outstanding only when it comes to killing and annoying people.

I hoped that boy is worth the trouble.

_Warrant Officer Shirley:_

_Deliver the boy carrying this letter to the base at Rudspoor and notify me upon his arrival. _

_Prepare armed prisoners as his opponents. Do not inform the boy of this piece of information. If he displays an adequate amount of skill, I will come personally to collect him. If not, dispose of him. I trust you to complete this task. Do not disappoint me._

_General Of Army_

_Esdese_

**Hello everyone! This is AnimeAddiction0-0!**

**This my second time posting a story on **

**I hope you all like it!**

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	2. Kill the Conviction

Disclaimer: I don't own Akame Ga Kill.

**Tatsumi**:

I accompanied Akame back to her room. Neither of us spoke as we strode along the dim, murky halls. Tonight, the moon was absent.

In spite of the pure darkness, It wasn't hard to see that the girl was worried, and truth to be told, so was I. One wrong move would be more than sufficient to bring about not just my own demise, but also that of the other members of Night Raid. It was treading on thin ice, and as far as I was concerned, I wasn't even remotely close to solid ground. There were simply too many questions unanswered, too many outcomes possible, and too many things that could go awry. The clock chimed midnight. Only a day's time left remained.

Stealing a glance at Akame, I noticed that the petite girl was also immersed in her own train of thoughts. After joining Night Raid three months ago, she was the first friend I made. And ever since that day she was always by my side, supporting me and doing everything she could to ensure my survival. She was strong, yet she was just another young girl doing her best to fulfill her dreams. Unlike Boss, who fought for the sake of the people, and unlike me, who fought for the sake of vengeance, she fought for nothing but a small, insignificant wish. There was no ulterior motive, no hidden schemes, everything she desired could be seen in plain sight. That was the way she was, and that was the way she fought. Akame truly was an amazing person, and I relied on her more than I would ever admit.

Being aware of that fact made the weight of my guilty conscience even more painful to bear. Throughout the entire meeting, I could feel her gazes burning into me. She sensed something was wrong, but still, she chose to believe me and the lies I spout. Even after witnessing my pathetic performance at the sparring field, she didn't attempt to delve deeper into the case and simply allowed me to keep my silence. I was bestowed something clearly unworthy of being in my possession: Akame's trust.

A few minutes later, we reached Akame's room. Pushing open the heavy wooden door which creaked noisily, she walked in.

"Akame" I called out. She turned her head, and our gazes met.

"I…err… I want to thank you, for being such a great friend today. And...um, I know you can't say the same about me, but at least I want to apologize…for not being candid" I exhaled deeply.

"Baka"

"Eh!? Aren't you supposed to be nice?!"

"Tatsumi is an idiot"

And thus, I got a door slammed in the face for the first time in my life. For one thing, it was every bit as unpleasant if not worse than the novels claimed.

After shouting a cheerful 'goodnight' at the girl who blatantly insulted me moments ago, I began my way down the long flights of stairs. Upon reaching the ground floor, I silent crept out of the makeshift castle that was our hideout and into the cold windy night.

"Damn it!" My fist collided violently with the rough trunk of a nearby tree, making a fluttering shower of yellowed leaves rain down. Akame had me lying flat on my back in seven seconds. Being tired and exhausted was no excuse for my defeat. She was miles ahead of me in terms of skill. That was a fact I gladly admitted.

Yet, it wasn't enough. I could see her movements. I could sense her approaching when she struck out. I even blocked one of her slashes. Against _her_, Akame wouldn't stand a chance.

When I fought against her, it was all over in a fleeting instant. I didn't realize that she had moved at all until I felt her fist pounding into my stomach. My dynamic vision wasn't nearly enough to capture her movements. If one described Akame as the summit of a jagged mountain, then she was an unfathomable abyss, with no bottom to her abilities. And she was in the army. She was our enemy.

If I go, I would risk being discovered and exposing Akame and the others.

If I stay, I would risk having her search for me and trace me back to the hideout.

No matter which I choose, I would be putting the lives of my companions at stake. There was no perfect solution. There was only a bad option and a worse option. Regardless of what I do, the fact that I'm targeted will always stand. The issue at hand was how to create a scenario where the others would have the best chances of surviving.

Enlisting was probably the worst option of them all. Being under the military's nose 24/7 was easily a guaranteed ticket to having my identity exposed. And if worst came to worst, the army was far beyond our ability to handle. We would all most likely die in this scenario.

Staying was also bad. There existed the blissful possibility that the woman wouldn't come searching for me even if I failed to carry out her orders. But in the case that she did, killing her without casualties sounded like a nearly implausible task.

The choice was obvious.

The best way would be to cut all ties with Night Raid, and flee immediately.

I removed my hand from the tree, flinching as a jab of pain shot through it. A fine layer of skin was scraped off by the rough surface of the bark which stabbed several splinters into my flesh as if to retaliate for the damage I inflicted. Blood eagerly rushed out of the open wound as I pulled out the tiny spikes of wood, dutifully trailing down along my fingers and falling to the earth in small, round droplets.

Leaving was the best decision. In the likely event that I get caught, the chances of being used as bait to reel in the others would drop drastically. If luckily, I managed to escape from her grasps, I would still be able to find my way back after the coast was clear, regardless of how long that might take.

There was nothing more to contemplate, nothing to hesitate over, no reason for me to stay with these wonderful people that fought with me as comrades-in-arms the last three months. No reason at all…

"Shit, I'm being totally pathetic" I muttered to myself, taunting my own weakness. They had done so much for me. That was the least I could do to repay them, even though it's essentially cleaning up the mess I made.

"At least you know that much, pea-brain" a long, tired voice sounded from above me.

"Woah!" I jumped and lifted my head so fast an audible crack could be heard from the joints.

"Lubbock! What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying a romantic night alone until you decided to punch my tree and wallow in self-pity under it. Pick somewhere else, you're an eyesore" said Lubbock, yawning widely from the tall branch he was perched on.

"It seems like you got yourself in a hell of a mess. You should talk, instead of letting it fester inside you." said Lubbock, his gaze drifting to my bloody fist.

"So you noticed?" I was rather astonished. I thought my act at the meeting was enough to fool everyone with the exception of Akame.

"Everyone noticed. I just the got the short end of the stick and was sent here to listen to whatever crap you're hiding"

"How did you guys know? I mean, I couldn't find anything wrong with my story"

"It's not your story that's wrong, imbecile"

"Then what?"

"What do you usually do after you complete a shitty mission and prance into the room acting like giggling high school girl on her first date?"

"Well I report to Boss and ask, oh crap" I cursed under my breath. I couldn't believe that I forgot such an important piece of detail, it was little wonder that they noticed.

"Yeah, caught up, haven't you. You would run up to Akame _squealing_, and ask for a _reward_ as if you're a puppy she keeps. But today, you didn't even mention the word, even after Najenda commended you for doing a good job"

"Akame's right, I'm an idiot" I exclaimed, letting myself fall back on the grass.

"Don't tell me that you realized that just now" replied Lubbock as he perched himself casually on a tall branch.

"So spill it"

"Sorry, I can't"

Lubbock glared at me, and I shrugged in return.

"It's personal" I said, flashing him my most dazzling smile. His expression darkened dramatically.

"Personal my ass! People like you don't have personal problems, pea-brain. You don't have annoying parents, you don't have a legal job, and you won't be having a girl before me. I won't allow it. My orders were to find out what's wrong with you, and you know what? I actually _like_ violence" said Lubbock, raising his hands to show the form of the Imperial Arm 'Infinite Uses: Cross Tail'.

"I don't want to fight you, Lubbock" I said, standing up and slowly putting distance between the two of us.

"Hey, it's not easy for me either. Usually I just have to kill the dude, now I have to capture him and make him talk while avoiding lasting damage to his body _and_his mind. This is not my field of expertise, man. Do both of us a favor and let me go to bed already"

"Sorry, but this is definitely something I have to take care on my own" I replied, drawing my sword for the third time this night.

"Oh, I knew it. You people never make things easily for me" grumbled Lubbock and dropped down from the tree.

I dashed forward. My best chance was to catch him in midair, strike him before he could use Cross Tail and end the match right there. Increasing the distance between us earlier was just an act to lure him into a false sense of security, making him think I'm aiming for a drawn out fight. With the element of surprise on my side, I could win.

"Good judgment, Tatsumi. But next time, look closer" My sword stopped in the middle of my swing and Lubbock landed soundly on the ground. He stretched in a lazy fashion. Narrowing my eyes, I found the device that held my weapon the place.

"Wires! When did you…?"

"I wasn't picked to do this just because I have a charming face, pea-brain. A moonless night like tonight is the best stage for me and 'Cross Tail'"

"The wires…are hidden by darkness"

"Bingo! You won't know it's there until you run into it! But don't worry, the wires I use today are just extra resilient, they aren't sharp at all"

The wires of Cross Tail were made from the whiskers of an ancient dragon, some were taut and sharp, some were soft and flexible but there one thing they all had in common. They were all thinner than a thread of hair. Without moonlight to reflect their gleam, there was no way I could avoid from being entangled if I moved impetuously.

"Now do I have to truss you up, or are you going start cooperating? Well, it's also fine you want to go back to hideout. I don't have any wires there, but just so you know, Najenda and the others are waiting for you" said Lubbock casually.

"Losing seriously sucks…" I sighed.

"Yeah, but it wasn't a fair match to begin with. You're still pretty g-"

"…so I don't intend to lose against you"

Even in the darkness, I could feel Lubbock's gaze intensifying. The wire wrapping around my sword tightened. Lubbock was pulling directly on that one. It was connected to Cross Tail.

"I see… I guess I'll have to stick with the plan A then" He said, and he flexed his fingers.

That instant, several faint swishes rang through my ears, coming from all directions at once. I had less than a second to act if I didn't want to get hogtied. Quickly letting go my sword, I grabbed the wire suspending my weapon in midair with both hands, and _pulled_.

"What in the-" Lubbock's shocked yell came echoing through the night as he stumbled forward to the ground. The wires loosened. I caught my sword before it fell and sprinted forward with all my might while brushing aside sagging wires. There was only one chance. I needed to get into the wire-free 'safe' zone around Lubbock if I wanted this fight to continue. The only reason I was able to catch him off guard with that stunt was because the wire wasn't sharp enough to slice my fingers off. My opponent wasn't going to let that work a second time.

"Come on, you've got be kidding me" groaned Lubbock as he knelt on the ground and waved both of his hands in a sweeping flourish. With a faint rustle, the earth beneath me shifted abruptly and a tightly woven jungle of wires sprung up, effectively confining me. Both of my legs were trapped, my left hand was also useless, and there were several more wires wrapped around my torso and neck. Luckily for me, my sword arm could still move to a certain degree. I need a plan, fast. I sheathed my sword.

"Good thing I'm a paranoid - god damn it, will you stop scaring me?!" Lubbock hastily leaped aside as my sword narrowly soared past his ear. I pulled vigorously at the string in my hand.

"You must be stupid-" He clenched his fingers, and countless wires quickly wound around my limbs, binding me in place.

"-if you think I would fall for that trick a second time!" Lubbock pulled back his entire arm, lifting me into the air and emptying my lungs of oxygen at the same time.

"Ack…" I coughed and wheezed through my restraints.

I was helpless, airborne and unable to move a single muscle of my body. But hopefully, the fight wasn't over yet.

"That wire I pulled on…" I gasped, looking at the space behind Lubbock. His eyes widened.

"…wasn't yours"

"It can't…" Thunk. My sheathed sword spun rapidly through air and struck Lubbock squarely on the temple as he tried vainly to turn around. Immediately, I fell to the ground in a coughing heap and Lubbock collapsed, clutching his head in pain. I had been battling continuously throughout the night and my body was quickly approaching its limit. I needed to finish the fight soon. I tugged at the string in my hands, which was tied around pommel of my sword. In a graceful arc, the weapon sailed through the air into my hands. I pulled the sharp tool out and charged. There weren't any more wires in my way. Lubbock would have to engage me in close range combat from now on and I wasn't going to lose any ground when it came to my forte.

"This is getting ridiculous..." Lubbock muttered, getting onto his feet. He stretched both hands in front of him with palms facing forward, as if he was trying to push open a stubborn door. Wires streamed out of 'Cross Tail' and gathered at the space in front of his palms, quickly taking form of a long, slender object.

Two second later, Lubbock held a 'halberd' in his hands. My jaws dropped.

"That is SO unfair!" I yelled indignantly and swung my sword.

"You think I care?! You killed my brain cells!" Lubbock yelled back, brushing aside my attack and stabbed viciously with surprising speed.

"Mind your own business!" I slid to the side, barely evading the lethal thrust and hacked back at Lubbock's wrist.

"I am trying to be NICE!" Lubbock twisted his body out my sword's way. Twirling his halberd in a great diagonal slash from down to up, he quickly followed up by performing a standard roundhouse kick. It was magnificent combo. I couldn't have done it myself.

The sharp blade of the halberd skimmed off a thin layer of skin off my nose, and a split second later I found myself crashing headfirst into the ground. I managed to dodge the slash by tilting my body backwards dangerously, but the unexpected kick to the side threw me roughly off my feet, sliding a few feet through the damp earth before painfully coming to a stop. I always thought Lubbock as an expert of traps and mid-range combat. I never imagined him to be so proficient in melee fights.

That moment I decided not to hold back anymore, even if it meant risking hurting the man. This is one fight I couldn't lose. For the sake of Night Raid, for the sake of the people I held dear, I must emerge victorious. So I lashed out with all my strength.

Lubbock's was slightly taken aback as he felt the change of aura surrounding me, and but soon, smoldering flames of rage flared up in his pupils.

Barely a minute later, I discovered that I was gradually getting used to the man's movements. Even in the dark, I could see where how he was moving. At this rate, I could win!

I slashed down with all my might. Lubbock quickly blocked it with the halberd, but I didn't give him the chance to counter, nimbly shifting my steps to move out of the range of his weapon. The thing was, I misjudged the range of his weapon by a great margin.

"Wrong choice, Tatsumi" Lubbock twitched his fingers and the halberd turned back into a silvery mass of wires, and shot straight at me. I paled.

We continued to trade blows, yet it seemed as if the darkness was no hindrance to Lubbock's sight as he continued to parried or dodge my attacks with leisure. His movements, conversely, were gradually becoming a blurred smear of dark colors in my eyes. The injury in my abdomen was torturing me with sudden waves of intense pain and I was still on the receiving side of fight. I couldn't predict what Lubbock was going to do when he had the power to shape the wires into any object at will. Things weren't looking good for me, and I had nothing to tip the scales.

"Can't you tell that Akame is worried for you?" I doubled over and retched as Lubbock swept the shaft of his newly form lance deeply into my stomach and slammed me hard against the trunk the tree. I tried ferociously to fight back with my sword, but it was batted out my grasp before I had the chance to raise it.

"If you keep acting like a spoiled brat…" He grabbed a fistful of my hair and crashed my head against the tree, making stars blink into my vision.

"…I swear…" Right hook.

"…one day…" Uppercut.

"…you'll make her cry!" I could vaguely feel my nose being flattened, but I was too disoriented to distinguish that particular pain among the hundreds of aching parts throughout my body.

I stopped struggling, and allowed my arms to trail limply at my sides.

Lubbock threw me down to the ground.

I heard him walking away as I slumped against the tree with dazed, glassy eyes. And for several long minutes I just stayed in that position while my sluggish brain struggled to process the situation.

And finally, I realized something extraordinarily simple.

I lost.

**Akame**:

I felt hurt. My heart pained. This wasn't supposed to happen. Why did this happen?

Lubbock was going to persuade Tatsumi to tell us what was wrong. Lubbock was supposed to let him know that we'll help him. But Lubbock and Tatsumi got angry. They started fighting.

Lubbock got hurt. Tatsumi got hurt. They kept hurting each other over and over again. I wanted them to stop. I wanted them to stop hurting their comrades. But Braht wouldn't let me go out. He said that it's a 'man's fight' and I shouldn't make them stop fighting. Why? Why did it have to be a 'man's fight'? Why shouldn't I stop them? I didn't understand.

Tatsumi and Lubbock stopped fighting. Lubbock won the fight. I didn't know what to say to him. I wasn't happy. I wasn't angry. I only felt sad.

"I'm sorry" Lubbock apologized. Lubbock didn't look angry either. Lubbock looked regretful.

"It's alright. It was unavoidable, given Tatsumi's state of mind, and you still held back in the end. I don't blame you" Najenda forgave him. Lubbock nodded and headed to the stairs silently.

"Hey, Lubbock, aren't you going to stay and listen to Tatsumi's confession?" Leone shouted. Lubbock smiled weakly.

"My head feels like it's going to split open. I'll ask you guys about it once I feel better. But thanks, anyways" Lubbock left us. I looked outside. I saw Tatsumi's silhouette leaning against a tree. He wasn't moving. Should I go get him? I probably should. I started walking out.

"Let's give the kid a moment to calm down. I'm sure it's a tough night for him" Braht said. I looked at Braht. He nodded solemnly.

We waited for twenty seven minutes and thirteen seconds. Tatsumi got up. I ran to his side. I supported him. We slowly walked back to the hideout.

Tatsumi didn't say anything, but I thought that… Tatsumi looked like he was going to cry.

We got back to Main Hall. Tatsumi sat down. We stood in a line in front of him.

Tatsumi looked at us with empty eyes.

"TAAATSUMIIII!" Braht bellowed and grabbed Tatsumi. Everyone jumped, except me. I remained composed. I was the strongest.

"IF YOU'RE A MAN, THEN GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU THINK I LOST AGAINST MY OPPONENTS, HUH?! THIS LITTLE DEFEAT IS NOTHING!" Braht started shaking Tatsumi. Coins started falling down out Tatsumi's pockets.

"Ooh, this is a rare one, where did you get it" Leone started picking them up. Leone looked excited

"Leone" I must remind her. We are here to help Tatsumi out. We are not here to pick up glittery coins

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Akame-chan! I just lost myself for a moment there" Leone apologized. Leone clapped her hands together. Leone listened to me. _Weird_.

"You must want to take a look at them too! Here, look at this one, it's actually made by the 13th Emperor to commemorate their victory against the nations of south and…" Good. Leone completely misunderstood. Leone was normal.

"TAAATSUMIII!" Braht yelled again. Braht began spinning Tatsumi.

I felt jealous. I wanted to do that to Tatsumi.

"I'm fine! I'm fine! I'M DYING!" Tatsumi was screaming. Braht was laughing. I saw pink flowers around them. Was this what they called 'male bonding'?

"Why do we have to go through this every time?" Najenda was exasperated. I can understand why. But it was fun to watch.

"Weaklings! Stop fooling around so I can I back go to my beauty sleep! I will annihilate you all if I see bags under my eyes tomorrow!" Mein was shouting.

"What is beauty sleep?" Sleep was just sleep. There was nothing special about it. But Mein kept fussing about how many hours she should sleep, when she would sleep, and how sleeping affected her. She also spent an hour applying artificial paste on her facial features every day after she woke up. _Weird_.

"You! Don't you dare talk to me about sleep!" Mein seethed at me. Did I say something wrong? Should I apologize?

"You barely sleep three hours a day, but your skin is so smooth! And your hair never gets split ends even if you never bother to take care of it! It's SOOOO unfair!" Mein was wailing. Mein chewed on her handkerchief. Did it taste good? I wanted white chocolate.

"I shall make you realize the magnificence of beauty sleep and…" Mein started talking. I didn't understand what she was saying. I ignored her.

"Tatsumi" I needed to tell Tatsumi something important.

"Ye…yes?" Tatsumi was foaming. Tatsumi looked green.

"I want white chocolate" Tatsumi promised me to buy chocolate. I wanted white chocolate. White chocolate is the best.

"Huh?" Tatsumi looked at me. His eyes looked haunted. I see. He only told me he would buy chocolate. To get white chocolate, I had to do something else to pay him back. It was equivalent exchange.

"I made you a parfait" I said. It was the 'reward' I prepared for Tatsumi. Tatsumi liked parfaits.

"PAAARFAIIIIIIT! GIVE ME! GIVE ME!" Tatsumi started drooling. Tatsumi was struggling in Braht's embrace. Braht looked heartbroken.

"Tatsumi, are you going to leave for some woman? I thought we had something in common! How could you! YOU TWO TIMING BASTARD!" Braht started wailing.

"PARFAIT! GIVE ME!"

"SHUT UP, MONGRELS! YOU'RE RUINING MY LECTURE!"

Everyone was back to normal. Tomorrow Lubbock and Tatsumi would make up. We would solve Tatsumi's problems together. We would make everyone's dreams come true. We would make everyone happy. We were comrades.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS! I AM TRYING TO SLEEP, FUCK YOU ALL!" Lubbock shouted from his room upstairs. Lubbock didn't want to be left out. That was a good sign.

Everyone fell silent.

"See, my point exactly! Even boys want their beauty sleep!" Mein exclaimed.

"Now that we've all calmed down…" Najenda began.

"PARFAIT!"

"Akame, give Tatsumi his parfait. We can't start with him like this"

I nodded. I got the parfait. I held it in front of me. Tatsumi looked at the parfait. Tatsumi looked at me.

"Akame, feed me"

"Okay"

"WHAT?! NO, DON'T DO IT, AKAME-CHAN!" Leone yelled.

"Open" I told Tatsumi.

"Ahhhh…"

"NO! THE LOVEY-DOVEY ATMOSPHERE! IT'S COMING! EVERYBODY TAKE COVER!"

I emptied the parfait into Tatsumi's mouth.

Tatsumi's eyes widened. Tatsumi started making strange sounds.

"Blargh…gargle…elp…e….dying…bleh" Tatsumi tried to spit the food out. I covered his mouth. Wasting food is bad. Tatsumi fell asleep with his eyes open.

"Mission accomplished" I told Najenda.

"We can't begin with him like this either, Akame…"

Then I realized it. My parfait tasted bad. Tatsumi tried to spit it out. I didn't let him. Now Tatsumi must hate me.

"I'm sorry. My parfait was bad. Tatsumi didn't like it. I'll make him spit it out" I reeled my fist. I had done this many times before. The men I hit will always end up blurting out their food…or blood sometimes.

"No! He might really die if you do that!" Mein was yelling again.

In the end, Tatsumi woke up. And I asked him how my parfait tasted,

"It was delicious…to the extent of being deadly" Tatsumi answered. I was happy. Now I knew what to do to make Tatsumi happy. I must do it more often in the future.

"Tatsumi" Najenda called.

"Boss, I…" Tatsumi began. But Najenda cut him off

"Before we begin, there's something I want to talk to you about" Najenda said. She locked her fingers together.

"Yeah…?" Tatsumi looked kind of scared.

"Your fight with Lubbock got pretty violent in the end, but I want you to understand that he was just trying to let you open up. I won't ask you to treat him like a friend right away, but I hope you won't hold it against him" Najenda said.

"Of course not. He did nothing wrong, though I would've appreciated it if he went easier on me at that last bit" Tatsumi touched the bruise on his cheeks. It must've hurt.

"Serves you right, mongrel, for being such an asshole" Mein huffed

"Yeah, I guess so" Tatsumi mumbled. Tatsumi scratched his head. How can you be a mongrel and an asshole at the same time?

"This isn't an interrogation, Tatsumi. If you still wish to keep silent, I won't force you to talk. But I'm sure there are some people who would be less than happy if things come to that" Najenda said. Tatsumi looked at me. He seemed worried.

Tatsumi was still hesitating. Was he going to tell us? Just what happened tonight? What did he see?

Tatsumi took a deep breath. He had decided.

"I'll talk. But I might get pretty unstable. Give me time to calm myself down if I need it"

"Absolutely. Take your time, Tatsumi"

"Alright, I guess I'll begin when Akame and I first parted. It's easier this way.

Tonight, after Akame went after the Baron I snuck into the mansion as planned. The Lady was in the study room on the third floor, next to her bedroom which had a large balcony sticking out. So I decided to climb up to the balcony and reach the study through the windows. The guards found me when I was making my way across, but I killed her before they could come. For the next ten minutes, I fought my way out of the mansion. There was a monk that had me in a tight spot, but apart from him, the others were weaker than the guards we usually have to deal with. There was still ample time left after I took care of all them all. My original plan was to discard my shirt and trousers to throw the dogs of my track and retrieve a spare set of clothing I hid in a nearby alley. I left the mansion without encountering any resistance, but that was when I met her" We all listened intently.

Tatsumi gulped, and his breathing became heavier.

"Even now, it still scares me to think of her. Her power was, for a lack of better words, overwhelming. In retrospect, she probably just considered me as some random street rat running half nude in the night. Killing me was nothing short of an effortless deed, just like throwing a piece of garbage into the bin" Tatsumi clenched his fist. Tatsumi was gasping. His pupils were wide. He was scared.

"I…I tried to fight. But I never touched her. I didn't see her move at all. Before I knew it, I was unable to act… and it was over. It was an execution"

I saw the look of Tatsumi's eyes. It was something terribly familiar. It was something I saw every day. It was the eyes of my victims before I killed them.

"Please go on, Tatsumi" Najenda said firmly.

"She held me… in place… with her presence. I felt my blood run cold, but my heart was racing so fast in my chest I thought it was going to burst. I…I wanted to scream. My legs were frozen, my arms felt like lead, and I…I could…_I couldn't even look away from her eyes_" Tatsumi was anguished. Tatsumi hid his face in his hands. Tatsumi was trembling.

We let Tatsumi rest.

Najenda was looking straight at Tatsumi. Najenda suspected something. Najenda was gripping the armrest. Her knuckles were white.

Tatsumi uncovered his face. Tatsumi looked ill. Tatsumi's eyes were bloodshot.

"This won't happen again" Tatsumi's voice was raspy.

"Thank you, Tatsumi. If you need more time…"

"No, I'm fine. Let me continue" Tatsumi cut her off.

"Of course" Najenda nodded.

"She pointed her sword at my throat and stared at me like I was filth on her boots. At that moment a particularly stupid part of my brain thought:_I won't die begging like a slave!_ So I mustered what was left of my willpower and…and glared at her. In the end, she let me live. Surprising, isn't it?" Tatsumi chuckled feebly. Tatsumi was still shaking.

"Maybe she was just kidding she said she'll kill you. I mean who kills a person for being half naked?" Mein said skeptically.

"No" Najenda whispered. Najenda stood up.

"Hey Boss, are you alright? You look kind of pale" Mein asked. Mein was worried.

"If it's her, then it's not surprising at all" Najenda stood in front of Tatsumi.

"What does that woman look like?"

"She had blue eyes, the shade was exactly the same as the sky we see on a sunny day, but it was freezing as hell" Tatsumi sounded hoarse.

"Her hair, what was the color of her hair?!" Najenda demanded loudly. Mein was right. Najenda looked pale.

"I couldn't see very well in the dark, but I'd say…they're deep blue"

Najenda staggered back and fell into her chair. She bit her lip.

"Did she…say anything to you?" Najenda asked quietly.

"Yeah" Tatsumi answered.

"She told you to join the army, didn't she?"

"She told me find a Warrant Officer named Shirley at the City Guard, and deliver this…" Tatsumi took out a scroll of paper from his robes.

"…to him. But I'm pretty convinced that if I follow her orders, I would end up enlisting or dying, depending on which happens first"

"Boss" I called out.

"Akame, stay out of this" Najenda told me. Her tone was sharp.

"Who is she?" I ignored Najenda. I wasn't going to back down. Not in front of such a strong enemy. Not in front of Tatsumi.

"That is something I will tell you all later, but for the moment can you all leave Tatsumi and I alone? Braht, remain silent until I say otherwise, please" Najenda was distressed. I had never seen her like that.

"So, it really is her" Braht's expression was dead serious.

"Yeah. I'm almost one hundred percent sure. This is just like something she would do"

"Really? She likes beating people to the brink of the death and sparing them at the last moment? I'd say she prefer killing more" Tatsumi joked feebly.

"Be glad that you're here, Tatsumi. That woman you met usually doesn't sheath her sword if it isn't cover with blood" Najenda said.

"I can tell. The killing intent she had was monstrous. I wonder how many people she had slaughtered in her life"

"Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands if she didn't slack off after I left"

"Hey Boss, I know this is a pretty wild guess. But is that woman by any chance…"

Leone started nervously

"…the current General of Army, Esdese of the 'Rudspoor Massacre'?" Lubbock walked down the stairs.

"What are you doing here, Lubbock? Why aren't you upstairs nursing your head?" Leone asked.

"And what do you mean, Esdese of the 'Rudspoor Massacre'? There's no way she's back in the Capital!" Mein added.

"I didn't want the miss the first-hand information, and as for the second question…" Lubbock looked at Najenda.

Esdese? The nineteen year old girl who was labeled the 'Empire's Strongest'? The one who conquered the Empire's long-standing enemy, the Twelve Tribes of North in a mere span of seven months? The User of the madness-inducing Imperial Arm which contained the concentrated essence of several S-ranked danger beasts, the 'Demon's Extract'?

"No" Najenda said.

I was relieved. I didn't want to admit being scared. But I was, just by a little bit.

"Back in the military, we called it the 'Rudspoor Genocide'"

The silence wasn't broken for a long time.

Anger.

Shock.

Dismay.

Fear.

We all felt different emotions at this piece of news.

"I can see why you didn't tell us. Now I'm terrified" Lubbock said. There was no sarcasm. Lubbock was telling the truth.

"Let me go. If I'm alone, I won't drag you all down with me even if they"

"QUIT JOKING AROUND! We aren't gonna let you go out alone to face the big, bad, busty woman! We're gonna kick her ass and teach her a lesson!" Mein shouted. Mein was trying to be cheerful. I smiled. Mein wasn't going to let Tatsumi go.

"That's my sweet Mein-chan! Now I want hug you! That's right, Tatsumi, don't even think about leaving alone. If you try, we're gonna snatch you right back!" Leone was being normal. She was trying to cheer Tatsumi up.

"We're against the Empire's strongest! You haven't seen her! We don't stand a chance against someone like…" Tatsumi argued. Tatsumi was afraid. I could understand. It was the fear toward the strong.

"TAATSUUUMII! Tell me! What is the purpose of Night Raid?!" Braht bellowed.

"That's got nothing to…"

"ANSWER ME, TATSUMI!"

"To grant the people peace and happiness…by overthrowing the corrupt rule of the Empire" Tatsumi said reluctantly.

"Esdese is an obstacle we will most definitely encounter, Tatsumi. Do you understand? Running will never solve any problems! We must meet them face to face and fight!"

"Aniki…"

"Together…" I held out my hand. Tatsumi looked at it. I looked at Tatsumi's eyes. I saw fear. I saw apprehension. And I saw an overflowing amount yearning. Tatsumi didn't want to go. Tatsumi didn't want to leave us. Tatsumi only wanted us to be safe. Tatsumi was only caring for us.

"…we'll definitely win"

Tatsumi hesitated. Tatsumi looked at Mein. Tatsumi looked at Leone. Tatsumi looked at Braht. Tatsumi looked Lubbock.

"Yeah" Tatsumi moved forward.

"Yeah, with a team like this…" Tatsumi's hand moved. Tatsumi looked at me. I didn't know what to do.

So I smiled.

"…I bet losing will be one hell of hard task"

Tatsumi took my hand.

Tatsumi grinned.

"Tatsumi" Najenda stepped forward. I turned around. I felt Tatsumi squeeze my hand. It was warm. It was comfortable. I liked it.

"Boss…"

"There is only one thing I want you do…" Najenda said.

Najenda was going to tell Tatsumi to stay. Najenda was going to make us fight by Tatsumi's side. No matter what happened, Tatsumi wouldn't ever have to leave.

"_Enlist"_

That moment, I felt Tatsumi's hand freeze.

**Esdese**:

I woke up especially early. The horizon was only beginning to pale when I clambered lazily out of the warm holds of bed and changed into formal attire.

Neatly placed upon the oak desk was a small stack of scrolls, made from the finest parchment in the Empire. It was probably yet another one of the Prime Minister's endeavors to have me participate in their lavish social gatherings. They never grew tired of such activities even if it was just the same events repeated and the same topics discussed in any endless cycle. It was boredom incarnate. Not to mention the repulsive taste for amusement they possessed.

A tapestry made out of human skin and hair? What was the point of skinning a man when he wasn't alive and screaming? The sight of that vulgar piece of work made me feel pity for the lives that were sacrificed to produce it. Their deaths were in vain, wasted on these drunken pigs who would never comprehend the sublime art of torture. I would at least let my captives die knowing that they played a part in my daily entertainment.

I sat down on the chair casually and tossed the scrolls into the burning fireplace. The Prime Minister would have to inform me in person if he had something important.

"Yuki" I called out, and waited.

Seconds later I heard a faint tap on the door.

"Come in" I said.  
"Yes, milady" a cool female voice answered and the door quietly swung open. A stunningly beautiful girl even earlier in her stages of youth than myself elegantly stepped into the room and shut the door behind her with equal gentility.

"Breakfast is not yet ready, milady. Please wait for another ten minutes, I have just ordered the chef to make haste" she said smoothly and bowed.

Her silky black hair which was tied in a ponytail trailing down to her waist, swayed slightly with the motion. I allowed my vision to roam over her entire figure. She had skin the color of the finest porcelain and a slender figure that would inspire envy from nearly every female. She was dressed in the standard military uniform and not a speck of dust could be seen upon its ironed surface. The only ornament she wore was a simple golden ring on her left hand. I concluded that her attire was impeccable, even by my standards. The corners of my lips curve upward in a subtle smile.

"There is no need to worry, Yuki. I am not in a hurry to dine. In fact, I might even arrive slightly later than the designated time" I said.

"Yes milady. Is there anything that requires my service?"

She bowed once more and stood in a standard salute before me.

"I would like to rearrange my schedule, for there is an important affair I must attend to today. Trivial events and programs would have to postponed to future dates"

"Of course, milady. There are no arrangements of particular significance today in the original agenda. Would you like me to refuse them all?"

"Yes, and also clear the schedule for the next three days" I said and saw to my mild amusement, Yuki stiffening. It must be exhausting for her to deal with the great number of imbecilic nobles in my stead. I actually killed a few out of sheer irritation in my early days of serving in the Imperial Army, before I had Yuki in my employment. While piling so much trouble upon her was rather inappropriate, it was an inevitable deed if I wished to savor the next few days to their fullest.

My new toy was due to arrive, and it must be tested out thoroughly before I add him to my currently vacant collection. I certainly didn't want him to be as fragile and delicate as the ones I had before. Their screams were quite pleasant, but they lost the will to resist far before my desire was properly satiated. Men these days were simply too poor in endurance.

"Yes, milady. I will deal with it right away" Instantly, Yuki regained her flawless composure and replied. I nodded.

"I will be departing for Rudspoor this morning"

"Yes, milady, but I'm afraid that preparing the carriages might require…" Yuki began. I held up my hand.

"I am not finished talking yet, Yuki. There will be no need for the carriages. I will ride there on horseback and I plan to embark as soon as breakfast is finished being served" I said sharply, cutting Yuki off in mid-speech.

"Of course, I will prepare the horses right away"

"That will be all. Join me at the table once everything is taken care of. You are dismissed" I said. Yuki bowed and slowly retreated to the door. I took a book from the towering shelf of books behind me and flipped to the page I bookmarked from my last visit.

"Forgive me for my audacity, milady, but there something I wish to remind you of" she said, turning around with grace.

"Yes?" I asked and arched an eyebrow. It should be something important if Yuki would take the trouble of specifically bringing it up in front me. She usually handled everything on her own.

"General Budou would be rather…cranky if milady is absent on the conference three days from now. Please consider shortening your trip"

"Surely Budou wouldn't vent his pent-up frustration on you, Yuki. He might be an obsolete block of wood, but he does possess the bare minimum of courtesy, which is much more than what I can say to most people in this palace" I replied disdainfully. Nearly every single person walking about in this building was a contemptible hypocrite. Worthless scum spewing gallons of nonsense like loyalty, faith, honor and all the noble, lofty ideals like they have it all, when it fact, nearly everything they've done contradicted them. I did not look down upon those who commit crimes. But I detested those who committed crimes and impudently pleaded innocence. They are the lowest of vermin.

"Of course, milady" I reverted my attention back to Yuki.

"I simply thought that it would not be the greatest idea to let General Budou lose any more of his hair, the patch he currently sports is already quite prominent as it is"

"Ahem" I barely bit back a laugh, and stared at her with a painfully empty face. I refused to let her have the satisfaction of being triumphant, though I was certain she saw my mouth twitch for a split second.

"I believe that is a sensitive topic, so refrain from mentioning it in front him unless you truly wish to test the limit of his patience, or should I say, his fuse"

"If will keep that in mind. But even if General Budou approaches me through violent means, I should be able to manage the situation through suitable and appropriate negotiation. There is nothing for milady to be concerned of" said Yuki with a quiet air of confidence.

"That" I said "is also what I think"

"Thank you, milady. There is one last thing I would like to mention, and I apologize in advance for wasting your time"

"Say it, Yuki"

"Just then, I spotted a brief episode of spasms on the lower portion of milady's face. Is this something I should write down on the list of symptoms for milady's next health examination?" Yuki asked. I glared at her. But she stood calmly under the pressure that would make most men wet themselves in fear, and looked at me in an annoyingly professional manner.

"That" I started with a note of ire "is an unnecessary concern. Neither do I recall such an episode. Perhaps your 'senses' have gotten dull, Yuki, and we should schedule a practice to bring it back in full bloom"

"I dare not trouble milady with something so trivial. Thank you, milady, for your time. I shall take my leave now" Yuki bowed deeply and exited out the door. Yet before her form vanished completely, I caught sight of a fleeting smile passing through her lips. I lifted my gaze…

…and found a pair of startling hazel eyes staring back.

_Click._ The door was shut.

"That girl…" I muttered to myself and leaned back in my chair.

"…is really getting cheeky"

Yuki's behavior reminded me distantly of another woman, a girl who became my first friend, and the only human I failed to kill when using my full strength. Unlike Yuki, she was cheerful, she was energetic, and she was always looking for different ways to help the people of this country. In a few years, we gradually parted ways due to our diverging convictions. And finally that girl became an enemy, an obstacle standing in my way, and I had to kill her. She escaped me with the price of an arm, and became the leader of an organization aiming to topple the Empire. Perhaps it was the way they tried to make me laugh that brought the two different figures together. But I could say with utmost confidence that Yuki would never betray me.

_The day we meet again, will be the day I wipe my record clean of that dirty smudge. I do not any need survivors under my name._

I snapped the book close and stood up from my chair. It was time for me to go down. I wouldn't want to miss the delivery.

I avoided the kitchen. While seeing the chef faint from terror would be quite entertaining, it would be better to abstain from causing unnecessary ruckus in the castle for the present moment, since I was about to leave Budou alone in a foul mood. Yuki might snap for real if I aggravated the man even further than I already did.

Breakfast was more unusually abundant, consisting of fresh salad, an omelet, sausages, bacon and a small plate of éclairs for dessert. It was undoubtedly because of a thoughtful reminder to the kitchen staff when Yuki notified them of my awakening. She was as perceptive as usual.

I was consuming the last of my food when I heard the echoes of an unpleasantly familiar voice ringing through the halls.

"ESDESE!" Budou's sonorous voice boomed through the room along with the rattling clamor of metal colliding against stone. His figure appeared shortly, covered from head to toe in a cumbersome suit of armor and walking toward me in long, fast strides. Yuki was right, that bald patch was really obvious. I should tell him to get a wig.

"ESDESE!"

I swallowed a mouthful of éclairs and silently wiped my mouth with a napkin. Regardless of friend of foe, that man was never a welcomed presence, though it seemed that he wasn't aware of that fact himself.

"Budou" I replied curtly. He slowed down to a stop and pounded an armored fist on the table when he reached my side. I heard the wood straining.

"What is the meaning of this, Esdese?" he demanded in his rough voice.

"You will need to be slightly more specific, Budou, unless you are referring to the meal I was having prior to this moment" I replied and enjoyed the sight of his face darkening. He slammed down another fist.

"Why are you leaving the Capital? We have a conference three days from now, and the Emperor himself will grace us with his presence. Do not tell me you plan on being absent"

"Where I go is nothing of your concern, Budou. Nevertheless, I am curious of where you got that piece of information, Budou. Tell me" I said.

"I saw your girl in the stables, saddling a horse" Budou growled.

"You must have good eyesight, Budou, to see her without being detected. You are aware of how sharp her 'senses' are, aren't you" I said coldly.

"She saw me" admitted Budou with a hit of reluctance.

That girl…

"I see, so she simply dumps the problem on me. Such a lovely subordinate I have" I said, irritated. She wasn't getting away with this easily. I'll deal with her after Budou leaves. That might take some time.

"How you deal with your property is not the issue at hand. Do not be absent at the conference, otherwise the Prime Minister will be most displeased"

"I have an urgent matter that requires my immediate attention, Budou. I'm afraid you will have to manage the Minister's displeasure on your own"

"ESDESE!" He slammed both hands on the table, which was crumbled under the intensive force with a deafening _boom._ The ground beneath cracked as he radiated a crushing presence and clenched his fists threateningly.

"Do not be so agitated. Yuki will take my place in the conference. You are aware of her capabilities. I am sure there is no reason to complain"

"I WILL DRAG YOU BACK…!"

"My sincere apologies for interrupting your discussion, milady, General Budou" Yuki's smooth voice sounded from the door.

"Yuki"

"YOU!"

"The horse is ready, milady. We are ready to depart" said Yuki, promptly ignoring Budou's beet red face and the murderous aura he was emitting.

"I AM NOT DONE TAL…!"

"It is a great pleasure to see you in such lively spirits, General Budou. I noticed that your… hairstyle is more stunningly charming than usual. Please do not feel offended if I seek out your advice in the near future" Yuki said and flashed Budou a brilliant smile. The man looked like he swallowed a fish bone.

The perks of having an innocent look…she's abusing them thoroughly.

"Oh… I guess…it's okay…yeah…sure"

Pathetic. Reduced to monosyllables by the charms of sixteen year old girl. And he called himself the man among men. I gazed at him with contempt.

"WHAT WITH THAT LOOK, ESDESE! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!"

"Milady, we are running late, please hurry. And General Budou, are you getting quite enough rest? Even for someone like you, I believe it must be very taxing to protect the King from harm every day. Perhaps you should take the chance and let yourself sleep in for a while. I would be very worried if General Budou were to fall sick" said Yuki, smiling timidly at the much older man.

Yuki said she would '_manage the situation through suitable and appropriate negotiations_'. I would like to ask her for the definition of 'suitable' and 'appropriate' when the opportunity arises.

"Let's go, Yuki. Any more of your honey and he might actually ask me to hand you over. And keep in mind that if such a situation truly occurs, I will comply with his request without second thought" I said, walking out the door. The horse was waiting obediently in front the gate with a large bag of water fastened to the saddle.

"Have a safe trip, milady. I await your return" said Yuki.

"Actually, Yuki, come to Rudspoor after you finish attending the conference. I might have some use of your abilities"

"Yes, milady" Yuki replied and bowed. I nodded and snapped the reins.

With a shrill _neigh_, the horse broke into a full gallop and soon the gates of the palace disappeared from my sight.

I rode, enjoying the thrilling sensation of wind cutting into my skin. As the scenery swiftly blew past me in a blur of colors, I felt a small tingle of anticipation in my chest.

The hour was still early. I would be able to reach Rudspoor before the sun reached its peak. Now, the only question that remained was:

_Would the boy come?_

**Hello everyone! This is AnimeAddiction0-0.**

**I kept my promise! I updated this within a week and the length is 4000 words longer!**

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**Thank you all again for reading Killing Spree!**


	3. Kill the Yearning

Disclaimer: I don't own Akame Ga Kiru, and it's kind of annoying to type this every time.

Tatsumi:

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a low granite ceiling. The many injuries I received from yesterday's fight throbbed with dull pain, making me grimace in discomfort.

I was in the headquarters of the City Guard, lying on a bed in their infirmary and waiting for my body to be tended to. From the initial examination, I was diagnosed with a ruptured kidney, and I would have to receive a transplant in the next five years if I plan on living past the age of forty. I had several more bruises, scratches and cuts down along my body along with a half-broken nose that made the nurse cluck her tongue disapproving.

But a flat nose and a malfunctioning kidney were the least of my worries. Opposed to dying at the age of forty due to organ failure, the odds of me dying painfully at the hands of a woman within the next few days were exponentially higher.

According the Warrant Officer Shirley, a gruff, battle-worn soldier in his early forties, I would be departing for the army camp in Rudspoor at eight o'clock sharp, with my only companion of travel being an escort responsible of showing me the way. I would be riding on horseback and shackled with chains, of course, to prevent escape.

There I would supposedly meet the woman who was the cause to all my pain and grief, the notorious General of Army, Esdese. I had no idea what horrors she had in store for me, but from the rumors I gathered during my time in the Capital, she was an avid practitioner of torture, and despised leaving her victims alive after crippling them in both physical and mental aspects. I most certainly hoped that by surviving an encounter with her once meant she had no immediate plans of taking my life, just as Najenda confidently claimed.

With my thoughts upon that, trickles of yesterday's conversation gradually flowed into my mind. Shutting my eyes once more, I allowed my conscious to be immersed in the vivid stream of memories…

_"Enlist" Najenda said, her eyes boring straight into mine._

_My brain refused to register what I'd heard. It was too sudden, too abrupt. I was shocked beyond belief._

_Looking at Boss, I realized that she was serious. Akame clutched my hand. From the corner of my eye, I glanced at her. Instead of the usual blank expression, I saw disbelief showing clearly on her delicate features. That one single word struck her as suddenly and violently as it struck me._

_My lips were dry and I gaped silently as I tried to grasp my ability to speak. This isn't right! Something must've gone wrong when she listened to my story! There must be a misunderstanding!_

_"What are you talking about, Boss?! That's insane! You're ordering Tatsumi to commit suicide!" Mein shouted and I couldn't help but agree. The thought of working under that woman made me shudder with apprehension. It was an action akin to suicide, and an excruciatingly painful one to boot._

_"No. That won't happen" Najenda said, shaking her head._

_"What do you…?" Mein began._

_"If Esdese wanted to kill Tatsumi, she would've done it when they met. But apparently, she saw something in Tatsumi that piqued her interest. She will keep him alive as long as he can still provide her with some 'entertainment'" said Najenda, standing up from her chair._

_"That's still too risky! She might find out that Tatsumi's a member of Night Raid! We'll all die if she sends the army after us!" Lubbock argued fiercely._

_"You don't know her as well as I do, Lubbock. Esdese won't pit normal soldiers against Imperial Arms Users. She considers that a disgrace to her name and a demeaning gesture to her opponents. She always liked to fight on equal ground, and I am the living proof of that" said Najenda grimly, glancing at her mechanic arm._

_"I don't care! It's not okay to throw someone to the wolves just because they aren't hungry at the moment! You've seen how she treats people, Boss! Tatsumi will die in a week!" Mein shouted, outraged._

_"Yeah, Boss! It's too dangerous for Tatsumi to go alone! We won't be able to contact him or help him if he's in trouble!" said Leone, worried. She was right. In the army I would be alone and completely without support. I would have to handle everything on my own. The prospect was frightening._

_"With great risk, comes great reward. What Braht said earlier was right. Esdese is an enemy we will have to face, sooner or later. Now that she's back in the Capital, she'll begin hunting us down as soon as she can. We have to take the initiative!" said Najenda, pacing fervently through the room._

_"This is an opportunity we cannot afford to lose! We must utilize this chance to bring her down, Tatsumi! You are the only one that can do this! Without Esdese's prowess in battle, the Imperial Army will be weakened significantly and the revolution will no longer be something in the far future. I have confidence we'll be able totear the government down in ten...no five years if Esdese is gone!" Najenda held my shoulders tightly and stared at me with eyes filled with burning passion._

_I was speechless. I didn't what to say. Should I follow her lead and reply enthusiastically? Should I tell her that I didn't want to go?_

_"No" We were both taken aback when she spoke._

_Akame stepped between me and Najenda._

_"A…Akame?" I stuttered in surprise. I had never seen her protest to any of Najenda's decisions before. But now she stood in front me, blocking me away from Najenda's sight._

_"Tatsumi will stay" said Akame, not taking her crimson eyes of Najenda._

_Najenda stared at the girl incredulously._

_Then she realized it._

_Akame was opposing her. She was opposing her dreams. She was trying to snatch away the precious chance to take down Esdese once and for all. All for her own selfish feelings._

_I felt the air tremble. Najenda's presence was stirring the air in the room as she glared at Akame with growing intensity. It was nowhere as strong as Esdese's demon-like power, but it still made me take a step backwards._

_"There is an EXTENT…" said Najenda, spitting rage with every word she uttered._

_"…TO HOW SELF-CENTERED ONE CAN BE, AKAME!" Her voice cracked like a whip in the hall, and I flinched instinctively._

_"Tatsumi will stay" said Akame calmly, but stubbornly._

_"There are hundreds of thousands of people out there, suffering from poverty, famine, plagues and the cruel policies of the Empire. We are given the chance to shorten that pain! I will not allow the simplistic feelings of a girl to deter me from grasping the key to my dreams!" Najenda shouted, furious. I was pushed back another step as the force of her presence escalated. Akame didn't reply._

_Suddenly, an invisible wave of pressure crashed down on my entire body, and a sharp surge of terror brought back the frightening memories of that woman. It was similar, but unlike the freezing coldness I experience from Esdese, this time it felt like tiny spikes were impaling every inch of my skin. My knees were buckling. Cold sweat drenched my clothes. I raised my head to look at the source of that presence._

_It was Akame._

_Her hair billowed wildly in the wind that swirled around her, and the Imperial Arms 'One Cut Killer: Murasame' was drawn out if its sheath, its tip pointed at Najenda. For the briefest moment, a crazy thought blew through my mind._

_Akame was going to kill her._

_I clenched my fist and struggled forward. I won't let them fight for my sake. The last thing I wished was to cause discord between the other members of Night Raid. I had to stop them._

_I slowly reached out my hand, but Akame was merely steps away from Najenda, who breathed heavily from receiving the bulk of Akame's oppressing assault. She was too close. I wouldn't make it in time!_

_Then the pressure vanished as suddenly as it came, Murasame was slid back into its sheath, and I breathed again._

_Akame walked up to Najenda. The two of them locked gazes for a long while. Akame moved._

_She hugged her._

_The girl threw herself into Najenda's arms, and hugged her tightly._

_"I am strong. I will become stronger. I will make Najenda's dream come true. Believe in me" said Akame as she embraced the older woman. Najenda looked stunned, and then her expression softened._

_"I know that, Akame. I know you're strong, and I believe in you, if nothing else. But the thing is, the longer we wait, the more people will suffer. This may be a shortcut to success, and I don't want it to slip through my fingers just like that" said Najenda gently as she brushed her real hand down along Akame's hair._

_"I will become strong faster! I won't make Najenda wait much…!"_

_I couldn't stand it anymore. I clenched my fist_

_Why was Akame shouldering everything on herself? Why couldn't she rely on us more? Why couldn't she rely on me more? I wanted to help! I wanted to share that burden she carried. I didn't want to become part of that burden._

_I stepped forward, and rested a hand on Akame's shoulder. This was something I had to do._

_"Boss" I said._

_"I know this is an outrageous request, Tatsumi, but please think of the people you could save...!"_

_"Stop" I said. I felt Akame's hand slip into mine. I gripped it tightly... and released it. Akame looked at me with questioning eyes. I took a deep breath._

_"Just...tell me what I need to do" I said to Najenda._

_The few seconds that nobody spoke felt like an eternity._

_"Thank you, Tatsumi" muttered Najenda softly._

_"What?! Have both of you gone nuts? It's okay to be ambitious, but this is absurd!" Lubbock yelled at me and Najenda. But I wasn't paying attention to him. Akame was looking at me. I turned my head slowly and braced myself for the hurtful expression that was surely going to haunt me in the days to come._

_It was far worse than I anticipated. Tears were already welling up in her shocked eyes and she was doing a horrible job trying look to calm. It was just the same as the night when Sheele died. She felt she was betrayed, and it was the truth, to an extent. Instantly I felt a pang of guilt in my conscience and a compelling urge to take back the words I just said. I steeled my resolve, and grasped her hands. They were icy._

_"You're really strong, Akame," I said, "and you've been protecting me all this time. But I haven't done anything to make me worthy of being a member of Night Raid. I don't want to become someone you need to protect, Akame"_

_Her eyes grew wide at those words._

_"I will become someone you can take pride in as a friend. I will become stronger, help everyone complete their dreams and give you all the happiness that you missed out in your childhood" I said with as much sincerity as I could muster_

_"Tatsumi…"_

_"Have faith in me! There's no way I'll die before I achieve all that! So don't worry, okay?" I said, trying to sound as confident as I could and smiled widely._

_Tears streamed down Akame's cheeks._

_"BAKA!" Akame sprinted up the stairs, not turning her head once._

_Lubbock groaned._

_"This seriously sucks. I'm going up. And Tatsumi, good speech just then, you made her cry, just like I said you would" said Lubbock, following Akame up the stairs_

_"Lubbock…"_

_"You're our leader, Najenda. I respect your decisions, and I follow them, but it doesn't mean I have to like them. Goodnight"_

_Najenda sighed heavily._

_"Go comfort her, Leone" said Najenda._

_"I will, Boss, but I still don't think letting Tatsumi go alone is a good idea..." said Leone, frowning._

_"I know, so I'll ask you to trust me this time. I won't give up on any of you, never" said Najenda, determined._

_"That's great to hear, Boss. Well Akame-chan should feel better if I give her the white chocolate I stole from her last time, thought it might be expired by now…" said Leone and vanished from our sight as she made her way up._

_"Well, I guess we should go as well" said Braht, dragging Mein with him by the collar. Mein struggled viciously._

_"HEY! I want to stay! Let go of me, you big brute! I'm gonna bite you!"_

_Braht paused just before he reached the stairs._

_"Tatsumi, as a man, you need to take responsibility for the promises you make. Don't make that girl a damsel in distress"_

_"Yes, sir!" I saluted. Braht grinned and gave me thumbs up._

_"Now go get them, soldier"_

_"Ew… you two are gay! AND I DON'T WANT TO GO! ACK!"_

_"You bit me!"_

_We waited until their voices completely disappeared._

_"I'm sorry, it must be hard" said Najenda solemnly. She sat back into her chair._

_"That is an understatement. It felt downright awful" I replied. Maybe I would've felt better if Akame slapped me. I was laden with guilt. She even went so far as to stand up to Najenda for me, and I only gave her pain and hurt in return. I deserved to die._

_"Hopefully, Akame will place all the blame on me, and all you have to do is come back in one piece" Najenda sighed deeply again._

_"What do I need to do, Boss" I asked and saw Najenda lean forward on her chair._

_"Listen carefully, Tatsumi. Your skills may not be particularly outstanding as it is, but you have vast potential, and once Esdese sees you fight, she'll realize that immediately. I am certain that she'll try to recruit you." Najenda began. I said nothing, allowing her to continue._

_"She already knows that you have a strong will, so she probably won't torture you into it. She'll show you the merits of serving under her and perhaps give you incentives to inspire loyalty. But before all that, she'll put you under her command first. Do as she says, Tatsumi. Even if it's cruel, even it's unethical, even if it clashes against your most fundamental principles, do what you're ordered to do. That is the way you survive in the Esdese's army, Tatsumi, do you understand?" said Najenda, her expression serious._

_I nodded. There are things that must be sacrificed in order to achieve one's goals._

_"When she starts sending you out on missions, that means she acknowledges your skills and more importantly, trusts you as her subordinate. It might take months for that to happen, but you should be safe once you're there. Now is the key to the plan, Tatsumi. You must conduct this with absolute caution." Najenda took a deep breath._

_"You should be seeing her quite often by that time, but DON'T try to assassinate her. The Imperial Arm in her body, the 'Demon's Extract', negates every single poison this world is capable of producing and she is too perceptive to be caught off guard by someone of your caliber. What I want you to do, Tatsumi, is tell her that you're a member of Night Raid" said Najenda. My heart nearly froze._

_"WHAT?!" I shouted in shock. After gaining Esdese's trust, Najenda wanted me to tell her that I was actually from the enemy faction and there to kill her? Wouldn't that be destroying all the progress I made earlier?_

_"Telling her right away and telling her after gaining her trust will result in two distinctly different outcomes. The former will look like you're trying to gain her trust by being candid. She'll kill you after squeezing all the useful information out by torturing you. The latter will seem like you're being candid because you don't want to betray her trust, which will make her a bit wary of you for some time, but ultimately trust you completely." Najenda explained, not reacting to my outburst._

_"My goal is to ambush her outside the capital and your job, Tatsumi, is to make that happen and inform us of her plans. Undoubtedly, she'll order you to take her to the hideout once she confirms that you're speaking the truth. Take her, but report to us first. When she goes, what route she will take and how many people she will be with should all be included in your report. We have spies in the army, and I'll give you their information later. But in case you couldn't send the information, tell us that you're spilling the beans so we can get ready. We'll bring Esdese down with all our forces combined." said Najenda gravely._

_I absorbed the information slowly. Get in the army. Get close to Esdese. Reveal my identity once I'm sure she won't kill me right away. Gain her trust. Leak information to Night Raid. Ambush her. Kill her._

_It sounded pretty simple. I could die in every one of those steps._

_"Even if nothing went wrong, and we are able to successfully ambush her. Will we be enough to kill her?" I asked skeptically._

_"Perhaps not, but I'll use my connections with the Revolutionary Army. They also have a handful of Imperial Arms Users, I'm sure they can spare us a few" said Najenda._

_"That's great, Boss. Maybe I'll come back alive after all." I said in a joking tone._

_"You'd better, otherwise I might really get stabbed by Murasame." said Najenda, ruffling my hair with her metal hand._

_"You know Akame won't do that, she cares for all of us the same. She's trying take on the weight of everyone's dreams by herself. It makes me feel ashamed just to watch her." I exclaimed with a sigh._

_"Even among us, you hold a special place in her heart, and I think you know that too."Boss said._

_"No, I don't" I sharply refuted._

_Najenda shook her head, exasperated._

_"It's an exhausting night, especially for you, Tatsumi. Rest." Najenda patted my shoulders softly._

_"I'll depart at daybreak" I said, gazing out of windows. The moon was already close to the west horizon. I had only a few hours to stay in the Night Raid, I didn't think my resolve could hold if I stayed longer._

_"You might miss them after you're in the army. You have the entire day, you should spend more time with your friends."_

_"I will miss them after I'm in the army. But that's okay. I'm sure they'll understand" I shook my head. I couldn't bear seeing Akame's crying face a second time. It was best to leave in silence._

_"I see. I'll be there, you can count on it."Najenda said in a reassuring tone._

_"Thanks Boss, you're actually an awesome person, you know that, right?" I punched her arm lightly. She smiled._

_"Thank you, for abiding by my ridiculous orders." She joked lightly._

_"Don't worry, I'm already regretting it." I responded with a hardly visible smirk._

_"Goodnight, Tatsumi. Picking you up is probably the best thing Leone's done in her life, but don't tell her I said that."Boss said, obviously enjoying the light banter we were engaged in._

_"I'll tell the first chance I get just to see her pester you."I said, also feeling more at ease, for the moment._

_"Then I hope I will hear her complaining about it in the near future."She retorted playfully._

_"Go to sleep, Boss. You know I can't stand this mushy stuff."I said turning away from her._

_"Rest well, tough guy."She shot back at me with a light chuckle._

_"Yeah, I will."I said nonchalantly._

_"Oh, and one more thing, Tatsumi."She said in a suddenly serious tone._

_"What?"I asked turning around, expecting another important piece of information about my mission or Esdese._

_"Fix your nose before you get back. It's unsightly."She said with a perfectly straight face._

_"…you just had to screw the atmosphere." I said angrily as Boss laughed at my expression._

I opened my eyes.

In the end, I'd only left a note.

Najenda kept true to her word and saw me off when the first rays of sunlight shone across from the horizon. She was the only one there.

It was better that way.

Nobody would cry.

I heard the loud voice the Warrant Officer Shirley shouting from the entrance and the faint squish of army boots. I glanced at the clock.

My time was up. I pushed myself into a sitting position and slowly loosened the bandages around my torso.

Officer Shirley walked in.

I didn't know how long it would be until our next reunion, but I hoped that…

"Hey boy, we're going! Get your skimpy ass over here!"

…by the next we meet, I would strong enough…

"If you think my ass is skimpy, Officer Shirley, THEN STOP TOUCHING IT! I am STRAIGHT!"

…to protect them all from harm.

That was the one wish I had in my mind at moment as I set off toward the first stop of a very long journey:

First Army Camp, Rudspoor

Esdese:

I pulled lightly on the reins and slowed the horse down to a brisk trot, surveying my surroundings curiously. Tall trees towered high above the ground, only allowing the occasional speck of sunlight to penetrate their dense canopy. My ears were filled with the faint hum of insects and the sound of leaves rustling as a strong gust of autumn wind blew through the woods.

I took a shortcut.

Between the Capital and Rudspoor rested a vast stretch of forest and woodlands that was home to a diverse variety of aggressive creatures named 'Danger Beasts' by the people of this country. It was widely avoided by merchants and travelers alike, and thus all the routes and tracks leading between the two locations looped around this broad area in a long detour. It was, in my perspective, an utterly laughable action.

The cold, bare lands in which I was raised harbored terrors far surpassing the docile animals of this tiny patch of woods. Most of those enormous monsters wore tough, iron-like hides; some hid lethal venom within their bodies or fangs, and a small portion of them even possessed intelligence on par with that of a human's. The weakest of them would be capable of standing at the very top of the food chain in this forest with little effort.

And I had conquered them all without fail.

I intentionally allowed my presence to permeate the air surrounding me, driving away any possible beast with malicious intent and advanced steadily toward my destination.

With the current speed, I would reach the First Army Camp within two hours, well before the scheduled time of my arrival. The sight of burly, dignified officers scrambling around in frantic mess would no doubt be quite amusing to behold when I showed up at their doorsteps hours earlier than they expected me.

A light chuckle escaped my lips.

While the Central was deeply contaminated by corruption and the arbitrary rule of the government, the military and the soldiers under its command still retained their honor and pride to a certain degree. They were the few people of authority in this country who did not fawn over the Prime Minister in hope of gaining wealth and glory. If not for their unrelenting effort, this ancient Empire would have long met its end under the reign of the young, foolhardy King. But not without help from the master puppeteer of bastardized politics who hid behind the scenes, the Prime Minister.

With all the meat he consumed on daily basis, it was a medical wonder in itself that he did not die of cardiovascular illnesses. The day he kicked his bucket would truly be a day worthy of celebration, though the reason to my delight would be different from the majority of the population.

The child King, who relied on the Minister to make every decision in his stead, would be alone and helpless before the raging fury of the factions and parties painfully suppressed during the time of the Minister's political might. With just a tiny shove, hell itself would break loose over the palace.

The current King, undoubtedly, would be last of his line as monarch and the throne would be left vacant by the coup, directly spawning conflict between the nobles and aristocrats who aspired after power. And amongst the whirlpool of chaos, the countless seeds of rebellion lying dormant in this nation would bud and bloom exuberantly, leading to a series of skirmishes that would rapidly grow into full-fledged battles…

Nation-wide warfare would swiftly descend, and turmoil would spread and ravage every part of the land like a blazing wildfire. It would be a bloodbath…one which only the strong would survive.

The mere thought of it was arousing.

I took a small sip from the bag of water Yuki prepared. Less and less light managed to reach the forest floor as I ventured deeper toward its heart. Furthermore, I sensed restless beings lurking quietly in the shadows, waiting for a chance to pounce. They were stronger than the ones I sensed earlier, but still far too weak to be called formidable.

I felt a small stab of irritation. My presence at its full power would be more than enough to have them fleeing in terror, yet unfortunately, that case also applied to my steed.

The horse I rode was trained to charge into a wall of lances without the slightest hesitation, and it had done so on numerous occasions in the past. But I doubt that it could withstand the pressure of my presence at such proximity without being rendered completely useless if not dead. I would have to deal with them personally.

I silently drew my rapier and slid down from horseback. There would no need to use the 'Demon's Extract' on these inferior animals. The uses of Imperial Arms were always energy-consuming exercises for its wielder, and mine was exceptionally taxing even in comparison.

There were seven, coming from the front and both sides. The leader, a large wolf which crouched at my two o'clock direction, would attack first, and its companions would follow lead.

I waited impatiently as the wolf eyed me warily and snapped his jaws at me. It was evaluating the situation, weighing the odds of success prudently. It acknowledged me as a significant threat, and it wasn't sure if they could take me down.

The creature glared at me with a pair of large, yellow eyes. Growling deep in its throat, it lowered its stance threateningly, and…

First Form: Flash.

…launched its severed head into the air.

The large head soared gracefully through the air, sprinkling deep crimson blood on the carpet of withered leaves and falling down with a heavy thud.

I hadn't moved…

…or at least, that was what the other wolves thought.

They were the same as that boy, too slow to see my movements, only realizing that I had struck when the results had shown themselves. But I supposed it was understandable, as I used one of the 'Six'.

A set of powerful techniques, passed down in our tribe to the strongest of each generation. That was the 'Six'.

First Form: Flash

It was a simple thrust. A lightning fast move that kills with just one strike. It was by far the easiest to master in the entire set, only requiring thousands upon thousands of times of practice and a composed mind to channel the energy in your body. Every single successor of the 'Six' mastered it.

Its use was limited by having only one target with each strike, but the effectiveness was very satisfying.

The wolves stared at the decapitated head of their vicious leader, and bristled menacingly as I walked forward. They were tense, apprehensive and unsure of what to do, clawing nervously at the ground beneath them.

Thud.

I gave them a little more persuasion.

They fled, howling and snarling at me as the blood of their two fallen companions soaked into the earth.

I mounted the horse, and ordered it to continue forward. For another half an hour, I rode without encountering any attacks from the denizens of the forest. Word of my slaughter should have spread through the network, and they would know better than to stray into my way after smelling the scent of blood I gave off.

All the obstacles had been cleared, and the rest of the trip through the woods should be both smooth and uneventful. Yet, that was most definitely not the case.

A rare frown lodged itself firmly on my lips.

I glared at my blood-stained jacket with a miscellaneous mixture of displeasure, annoyance and a tiny hint of discomfort.

The potent scent of blood it gave off drove away any hungry beasts planning to snack on humans passing through their territory. It was both efficient and convenient. But as time trickled by, it turned out that the scent was far too potent, to the extent of becoming a major source of bother.

At first it was a just a faint smell, and slowly it became a pungent odor, and finally, barely ten minutes later it escalated into a thick, putrid stench that wracked my olfactory senses in an indescribable fashion. It was unbearable, but I had no choice but to bear with it.

I was strongly tempted to discard the distasteful piece of clothing. But there was one irritable thing that made me reluctantly cast aside the thought.

By doing so, I would be exposing large quantities of skin, as I wore nothing but a revealing set of undergarments beneath the jacket.

I was terribly cruel, not to mention delightfully sadistic, but I still possessed a sense of humility shared by most females in this world. Thus, it would not do for me to march up to Rudspoor looking like a murderous Capital prostitute.

Just as I surrendered myself to enduring the stifling torture, the solution to my problem presented itself.

In the dappled sunlight, a small creek glistened alluringly. At the sight of it, my eyes lit up brightly.

I tied the horse to the trunk of a tree and walked toward the lifesaving stream of water. It bubbled merrily and fish swam about in its clear depth as I clambered down and slowly made my way to its rocky bank.

I scanned my surroundings carefully, and saw no sign of either human or beast.

That was a good sign. I wouldn't need to kill anything that might have possessed organs or body fluids with revolting properties in order to have my job done.

I stepped into the water.

Cautiously, I unbuttoned my jacket and allowed it to slide down along my arms to the ground, at last relieving myself of the abhorrent stench. The cool autumn wind was a soothing gift as it blew away the vestiges of the awful smell lingering in the air. Removing the little fabric that remained, I revealed the slender, voluptuous figure of my unclothed body. With a sigh of utter bliss, I submerged myself into the creek and enjoyed the refreshing sensation of water caressing my smooth, flawless skin. It was heavenly.

Grabbing the tainted jacket, I casted it into the water and scrubbed vigorously.

The stains were stubborn, only paling by a slight shade after several long minutes of intense scrubbing. But thankfully, the odor was reduced to tolerable levels. It was enough.

I stood up, letting beads of water drip down along my luscious blue hair, and as I walked toward the bank I heard the tiny snap of a twig being stepped on.

"Die." Without a moment's hesitation, I triggered the 'Demon's Extract', stabbing the source of the sound with a wave of enlarged icicles.

"Argh! Wait! This is an accident!" A hooded figure staggered out from behind the bush he was hiding, his arms and torso both wounded by my attack.

I raised an eyebrow.

"I see." I said, impaling his legs with numerous spikes of hardened ice before he could react. The man, or boy judging from the pitch of his voice, screamed in pain and writhed futilely in a desperate attempt to free himself. What a lovely voice, it would be a pity to kill him right away.

I dressed slowly, savoring the cries of agony and the pleas of mercy my young victim was emitting while slowly pushing more spikes into his body. By the time I finished, he was already a pitiful sobbing heap with ice protruding from every one of his limbs. I deliberately kept away from his vital organs. It would've ended the game far too quickly for my liking.

The boy looked no older than sixteen, with short, cropped hair and a tall build. His mahogany eyes were overflowing with tears, closing each time a new spike was imbedded into his body. He looked quite handsome, but from his behavior, I could tell he certainly wasn't one of the more defiant ones.

I walked up to him and lifted his teary chin with my finger.

"No…no…please…no…don't…I'll do anything…please." he sobbed in fear as a dim blue glow enveloped my hand. Yuki had recently come up with an interesting little trick, and I was eager to test its result. I stared at him, and smiled.

"AHHHHHHH!" He released a blood-curdling scream as a particularly thick cone of ice was driven deeply between his legs. The sound made a faint rosy shade of ecstasy creep onto my cheeks, and I shut my eyes to fully enjoy the drawn out cry of overwhelming agony.

I conjured up an elaborate chair and sat down, facing the shrieking boy with a pleasant smile on my face.

"Now that we're both seated and comfortable, let's have a discussion about that little 'accident' we had just then, shall we?" I said, gently touching the boy's cheeks that were wet with tears. He gazed at me with frightful, terrified eyes.

"So, what did you think of my body? Was it worth the pain?" I asked nonchalantly, crossing my legs. The boy sobbed even harder, his body twitching.

"No…no…please…no more…I don't want to…die." he cried at me, his voice replete with pain.

I gazed at him in disapproval. Men these days were so weak. A few years ago some of the warriors I caught even had the guts to spit on my face. Now all they do is plead and beg and cry. I might as well make them scream more.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!" The sharp cone gradually grew taller and sank deeper into his body, spilling out blood and feces all over its glossy surface.

"I don't like it when people ignore my questions, filth." I said coldly, accelerating the growth of the cone. The boy's voice became shrill and broken in pain as he was steadily ripped in two.

"STOP! PLEASE! STOP! I'LL ANSWER! I'LL DO ANYTHING!"

"That's a good boy, you just needed a small dose of pain to behave, didn't you?" I said and ran my fingers through his hair in a loving stroke.

"So back to my first question, what is your answer?" I asked with a smile, greatly enjoying his continued cries of pain.

"It was…beautiful…more beautiful…than…anything…I've ever seen." the boy choked between sobs.

"You sure know how to flatter a girl" I chuckled, flicking his forehead playfully.

"Please…don't kill…me…please…"

"Shush. You haven't answered my second question yet, filth." I said with a small pout and bended my index finger. The cone began growing again, eagerly stretching the wound even further. This time a section of his intestines drooped out and blood splashed onto the ground in a gushing crimson fall.

The boy screamed even louder, his voice becoming hoarse with excessive use.

"IT WAS WORTH IT! IT WAS WORTH IT! STOP! PLEASE! I BEG YOU! STOOOOOOOOOOOP!"

I stopped.

"A little bit of torture really does bring out the best of a person's character, don't you say. Now let's see just how sweet you can get." I said, plunging my hand into the bloody mess between his legs and tearing out a healthy clump of intestines.

"I think it's time we take this discussion to a deeper level." A cruel smile broke out on my lips, and I pulled.

He kept screaming and screaming as I violently tore out his intestines and coiled them on the ground like a bundle of thick, white, bloody rope. Its length was surprisingly long, and it took me nearly a minute to reach the end.

"Hm… I never knew a human's intestines would be this long. You're the first one I tried this on. Does that make you happy, brat?" I asked, and discovered that the boy had fainted from either pain or loss of blood, or perhaps both.

I sighed in disappointment. Normally in the torture chamber I would inject the victim with drugs that kept them awake until the painful end, but now I would have to resort to more primitive means.

I placed my palm on the boy's forehead, drawing upon the power of the 'Demon's Extract, and directed it into his skull. It created the sensation of being splashed by huge tides of icy water, and its effects were usually instantaneous.

The boy's eyes fluttered open unwillingly, and a split second later he began screaming once more as scorching waves of pain came crashing into his senses from every part of his body.

"Break time's over, filth. Now let's pick up where we left off, shall we?" I inquired, letting the icy cone sink deeper into the boy's abdomen. This time I wasn't going to stop.

"NOOOOO!STOOOOOP! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS SOOOO MUCH!" the boy was shrieking at the top of his lungs. It was literally musical.

I examined his body, and found a small bronze pendent hung around his neck. I it lifted up and inspected it. It was a remarkable artifact, made to conceal one's presence nearly perfectly and from the rust and blemishes on its surface, one could tell that it probably had lived through much history.

I stood up from the ice chair, and dispelled it.

"I really would like to play a bit longer. But unfortunately, I need to go collect a toy of mine. Thank you for the entertainment" I said simply, raising my hand. It glowed.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" the boy roared and thrashed wildly, spraying blood and entrails in every direction.

"You are weak, thus, you have no right to live." I said in contempt.

"NOOOOOOO! PLEEEEEEAAAAAAASE!"

"Die, filth." I responded, walking toward the horse.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

I untied my horse and climb on with ease. There was only a short way left until I reached the edge of the forest, and it should not take much longer to reach the camp.

I snapped the reins and rode on toward my destination. As I reached the edge of the clearing, I slowed down for just a fraction of a second, and looked back at the mutilated body of the boy.

It was split roughly in half.

I smiled in satisfaction.

One hour later:

"Esdese-sama! I never knew you would arrive so early! Open the gates, you drunken imbeciles. Open them! Please forgive their insolence, Esdese-sama. I'll punish them harshly afterwards" an officer bellowed anxiously on the high walls surrounding the First Army Camp as he urgently beckoned the soldiers to open the sturdy wooden gates.

"I do not mind. Tell me, has Shirley arrived?" I asked the officer, who was staring at the large bloodstains on my jacket apprehensively.

"Yes, ma'am. They've arrived half an hour earlier." answered the officer. I was honestly surprised. I had departed shortly after dawn and took the shortest route through the forest on horseback. Unless they embarked when the sky was still dark, it was hard to imagine how they managed to arrive earlier.

"Splendid, so has it begun?" I inquired. The doors opened, groaning as they were forced to shift their heavy bodies. I was instantly met by the thick smell of oil, sweat and blood mingled together and the loud, clamorous sounds of metal clashing coming from within. The camp was already alive with activity, it was these places that I could truly laugh and smile to my content. They were my soldiers, and this was my home.

The officer hurriedly bolted down the stairs and rushed to my side as dismounted the steed.

"Second Lieutenant Asher reporting to duty!" the man hollered enthusiastically, and saluted. I nodded.

"At ease, Lieutenant. As I was asking, has the fight begun?" I restated my question calmly.

"No, ma'am. They're still making preparations" replied Asher loudly, drawing the attention of several soldiers walking by, who waved at the man cheerful.

"WHAT ARE YOU PIGS DOING? THIS IS GEN-" Asher yelled out, his face turning scarlet in fury and waving a large fist at the band of men. I held up my hand.

"There is no need to cause a ruckus Lieutenant, you can announce my arrival at the morning assembly tomorrow." I said, waving back at the soldiers. They wolf-whistled and blew kisses at me in exaggerated fashions, making me laugh.

"YES MA'AM!" shouted Asher, glaring at the men as if he wanted to engrave their features into his memory.

"We are truly fortunate to have lively men such as you among our ranks, Lieutenant Asher…" I began with a smile.

"THANK YOU, MA'AM! I AM HONORED!" shouted Asher excitedly, saluting.

"…but there is no need to yell every sentence. I believe neither your hearing nor mine is impaired, so the normal volume would suffice." I finished.

"YES! MA… I mean, yes, of course, Esdese-sama" the man stopped himself and lowered his voice.

"Thank you. Now take me to Shirley. I wish speak to him."

"Yes, Esdese-sama" said Asher and lead me into a tall concrete building. It was the most prominent architecture in the camp, and also the command center of the entire site.

Shirley was already there waiting.

"Warrant Officer Shirley reporting to duty!" said the burly man, his moustache bristling slightly in the wind. I smiled.

"Is it not nice to venture out of the Capital once in a while, Officer?" I asked.

"I must admit that the change of pace is welcomed. Thank you for your concern, General Esdese" Shirley bowed.

"You are welcomed. Now where is the boy, Shirley?" I inquired curtly.

"He is preparing for the fight, which I believe will commence shortly in a few minutes. Please head to arena stadium" said the Warrant Officer. I turned to look at Asher

"How unusual, for the arena to be used on such an insignificant occasion. Is there any reason behind it?" I asked curiously.

Asher grinned impishly.

"I believe in your judgment, ma'am" answered Asher.

I raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"To catch the eye of someone like you, ma'am, one certainly needs to be more capable in abilities than a small Lieutenant. So I need to leave a good impression in case he rises to a higher rank than me someday in the future." The man replied, grinning.

"Flattery will not help you with your promotion, Lieutenant Asher. As for the boy, he may not even survive today, so don't get your hopes too high" I retorted, walking to the tall stadium.

It was a large, dome shaped building that could accommodate thousands of people. I noticed that nearly all the seats are vacant as we reached the entrance and made our way up the long flights of stairs.

"How many do you plan on making him fight, General?" asked Shirley as we ascended.

"Did not say in my letter? I will collect him personally if he displays an adequate amount of skill." I replied.

"But is there an approximate number…?"

"Let me rephrase this, Officer. The boy will either obtain my approval, or die trying. And he will keep fighting until he accomplishes one of the two" We reached the top of the stadium, and I looked down.

At one side, stood a winding row of prisoners, armed and thirsty for blood.

At one side stood the boy, pale but determined as he stared at his opponents.

The stage was set.

A prisoner stepped forward, roaring and brandishing the mace in his hands ferociously.

The cast was ready.

A boy stepped forward, drawing a sword out of its sheath and gripping it tightly with hands coated with sweat.

Now I wondered…

Neither of them moved.

…what kind of 'show' they will present me.

They lunged at each other.

**Akame: **

Tatsumi left.

Tatsumi left without saying goodbye.

Why did Tatsumi leave? Why would he want to leave Night Raid? Why did he say he didn't want to be someone I need to protect?

I didn't understand. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if I had done the right thing or not.

"Akame-chan! Breakfast is ready!" I buried my head in my pillows.

I wasn't hungry. I wasn't sleepy. I wasn't sick

I was confused. I was empty.

I really wanted to cry.

I looked at the table beside me. There was a small envelope on it. That was the only thing Tatsumi left behind.

I held it to my chest tightly. The paper had Tatsumi's smell. It had Tatsumi's ugly handwriting.

It was proof that Tatsumi was gone.

I couldn't hear his voice anymore. I could see his face anymore. I couldn't make breakfast with him anymore. I couldn't feed him my parfait anymore.

I couldn't live with him anymore…

…and I couldn't live without him anymore.

I hugged myself.

_I'm lonely, Tatsumi. _

_Come back. _

**Hello, once again, this is AnimeAddiction0-0!**

**I went on a four day trip with my relatives, and this chapter was kind of hard to write, so please forgive me for not making the one week deadline. **

**I hoped all of you readers enjoyed this chapter. **

**Now the passages below are dedicated to those who kindly reviewed 'Killing Spree'!**

**Alicornation: Thank you for being the first of my reviewers and also reviewing TWICE on both my chapters. It was the most touching sight I had ever seen (sniff), seeing those words of my computer screen(sniff), please do it more (achoo!). **

**Sundown923: Thank you being encouraging me with your positive comments. It made me soooooo happy! **

**Gravenimage: Thank you for being interested in the plot. I guess your question is explained in this chapter, but don't hesitate to ask if you see something strange or odd or arousing… Wait, no! This is a rated T story! Cross that! Ignore it!**

**Taco and Sombrero: Thank you for your heart-warming praise! I was unsure of my style since it's not commonly seen among high ranking works, but you gave me a boost of motivation!**

**Ayatane Elemia: You think my story is well written? You reeeaaally think my story is well written? How sweet of you! You're like ten times nicer than my mom. My mom's reaction: 'Pfft, what's this? Fanfiction? On anime? Quit wasting your time with your crappy writing and get your ass back in the study. I need to upload these files…"**

**Sennybee98: Answer to your question: you're looking at it, but if you keep asking, good sweet, things like jelly beans will rain down upon you tomorrow morning 6:27 sharp, and I don't care which freaking time zone you're in… **

**Arcrait: You liked this chapter? And you think it's emotional? I failed. From now on, I will make it hysterical!**

**Enigma95: Ha! Caught you off guard, haven't I? As for the answer to your question, the divergence is shortly after Sheele died, so you won't be seeing her airheaded talking unless…well, no unless. **

**Jamesk19: I shall make MANY chapters of this story if nothing goes awry (which I will do my best to avoid) and please stay with me until the very end and hope nothing will put me on hiatus!**

**Now there are two anonymous reviews for the story, which I strongly suspect belong to same person. If you're reading this, know that I love your lengthy constructive remarks and please continue to give me advice in the future. **

**FINALLY, THERE IS ONE LAST PERSON TO WHICH I MUST OFFER MY WHOLEHEARTED GRATITUDE:**

**Kyuubi123! AKA my beloved beta! I'd cover your face with kisses and hickeys if you aren't halfway around the globe. Thank you, thank you and…thank you x 100 for killing all the pesky little devils hiding in the details for me. I can only hope that one day I will become a writer half as good as you! Please keep on being my beta!**

**Thank you all for reading Killing Spree! Please review! I need it! **

**Look forward to the next chapter! We are at last entering the main story! **


	4. Kill the Hesitation

Disclaimer: I do not own Akame Ga Kill. But Takahiro (the guy that really owns Akame Ga Kill) please update your manga faster! I'm going crazy from waiting!

**Tatsumi:**

The mace crashed against the blade of my sword, nearly knocking it out of my grasp. Stumbling backward from the impact, I instantly decided that I needed to avoid direct contact with that thing. It packed a really hard punch.

My opponent was a tall, muscular man who looked halfway through his middle ages, with an unruly nest of slightly graying hair and hard lines carved onto his features. He wore a baggy brown shirt that was tattered at the rims and patched in various different places. Red markings on his wristed showed that until recently he was bound by heavy iron shackles.

"RAAAAAAR!" The man bellowed in a feral fashion and swung the spiky weapon like baseball bat, aiming to split my head before I could regain my footing.

I ducked hastily, listening to the intimidating _whoosh_ as the mace sailed above me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I cursed silently under my breath. That was a close one.

His time in custody didn't seem to have weakened him at all. On the contrary, I could've sworn that the guy was stronger than the average City Guard soldier, given how he waved a huge iron stick around without any signs of exhaustion.

The man apparently, wasn't planning on giving me any time to recover. He swung the mace once more in a wide arc, this time heading for my midsection.

CLANG! I parried the heavy strike, knocking it aside.

I grimaced as I felt a jolt of numbness shooting up along my arms and quickly swerved to the side as another blow came smashing down with the force of a meteorite.

The heavy weapon whistled dangerously past my ear and crashed into the ground, launching a thick veil of dust and rubble into air. Both of us erupted into violent fits of coughing.

It was a godsend. I leaped away from man and the large cloud of dust as fast my legs would carry me and tried to catch my breath.

I evaluated the situation.

The mace was a powerful weapon, but it also had a long list of drawbacks. It was heavy, so it requires a large amount of strength to wield, making the user tire easily. It takes more time to prepare for each strike than that of a sword, so the time between swings would leave him vulnerable to my attacks. If he swung it around recklessly, there was a decent chance that he would lose his balance and end up tearing a few muscles here and there.

This wasn't the time to play it safe, I had to finish him using the least amount strength. There was a long line of opponents queuing behind him, and I doubted that they would abstain from stabbing pointy objects into my body just because it was disgraceful to attack somebody when they're not fully prepared to do the same thing to them.

I had three options.

Keep dodging until he burned himself out and go for the easy kill.

Attack the openings between swings and gut him.

Provoke him, make him mad, make him lose his balance and then gut him.

With his current speed, I had the confidence to evade all of his attacks by running around the arena and keeping my distance with him. But it was time consuming, and it also required intense concentration.

Exploiting the openings between his swings was easily the fastest way to wrap up this match and I was fairly convinced that the man wouldn't be fast enough to counter my attack if I struck out at full speed. But if I misjudged then my head would end up being cracked open like a piñata. The second option was efficient, but it was dangerous.

Provoking him might not necessarily work, and talking while fighting was a strongly unadvised taboo unless you're much, much stronger than your opponent and you're toying with him just for the fun of it. That was certainly not the case.

I didn't have the time to contemplate carefully.

I chose the second option.

"DIIIIEEEE!" the man yelled and brought the mace down. I shot forward, twisting my body to let spiky iron ball narrowly graze past my nose and slam into the concrete floor of the arena. I decided to thank Lubbock when I was given the chance. I never knew there were scenarios where a flat nose could be useful.

I advanced forward, and moved my sword into striking position.

The man couldn't get his mace back in time to defend against my blow.

My muscles tensed.

It was too close to be dodged.

I had won this match

"Rend!"

Blood sprayed from the wound, dying the man's clothing a prominent color of red and dripping down the hem of his filthy clothes.

"It's over…"

I turned around to deliver him the final blow.

At that moment, I froze in fear.

The man was standing right in front of me.

He held the mace above his head with both hands.

"DIIIIIEEE!"

"SHIT!" I swore and slashed my sword upwards blindly in hoping of catching the deadly weapon before it could strike its target.

CLANG! Our weapons met again.

I halted the mace's progress with one of its spikes right in front of my left eyeball.

A wave of relief broke out in my mind and my legs nearly gave out. I had literally tasted death…

…and the flavor was still strong on my tongue.

With a loud roar, the man mustered all his strength and pressed the down on the shaft of his mace, pushing the tool further down. I saw the tip of the spike inching closer to my defenseless eyeball.

I gritted my teeth and pushed back. My arms felt like they were going to snap from the strain and I could hear my brain whirring loudly as I tried to conjure a valid explanation for his being alive.

Was the cut not deep enough? I clearly felt the blade slice through thick layers of flesh and tissue.

Did he have some tool capable of regeneration? No, he wore nothing but a ragged set of cotton clothing, and even that weapon he wielded had no special characteristics that could've possibly granted it additional abilities. I could also tell from the thick streams of blood dripping down that the wound I inflicted was still fresh and open.

Then the only feasible explanation was that he was standing there out of pure willpower. He was forcing his body to squeeze out every bit of energy and potential to fight against me. That thought alone scared me.

The man bellowed like an enraged beast, his muscles bulging and veins popping out along his forehead. The spike was getting closer.

I was being overpowered…

I was going to die.

I closed my eyes, and the grip on my sword slackened…

_"You're really strong, Akame," I said, "and you've been protecting me all this time. But I haven't done anything to make me worthy of being a member of Night Raid. I don't want to become someone you need to protect, Akame"_

_Her eyes grew wide at those words._

_"I will become someone you can take pride in as a friend. I will become stronger, help everyone complete their dreams and give you all the happiness that you missed out in your childhood" I said with as much sincerity as I could muster._

_"Tatsumi…"_

_"Have faith in me! There's no way I'll die before I achieve all that! So don't worry, okay?"_

My eyes shot open.

I yelled and shoved the man back brutally with every muscle of my body. I refused to die here. I refused to break my promise with Akame!

The man took a step back, surprised. But soon his aging features became contorted by pure, undiluted rage and he pulled back his mace, preparing strike me again.

I already knew what to do.

I took a deep breath, and allowed my muscles to loosen completely.

_Recall her stance._

The man stepped forward.

_Recall her movements._

The mace rushed toward me.

_Recall the track of her blade._

"DIIIIEEEEEE!"

_Recall her happy expression._

"I'm sorry." I apologized quietly.

I disappeared in the man's eyes.

"But I'm afraid I can't die here."

_Murasame: Demise_

Silence reigned over the entire arena.

I had won this match.

The man stared unbelievingly at the long gash on his chest, the mace slipping out of his hands and hitting the floor with a dull thud.

He shuffled toward me, his hand outstretched.

One step.

His knees buckled.

Two steps.

"Leymia…"

Three steps.

"Melia…"

Four steps.

Silently, he fell forward to the ground.

"Next" I looked toward the line of prisoners waiting, but after a few seconds, none of them showed any sign of stepping forward. Were they afraid? Nobody wanted to die after all.

"Come on, what's wrong? Afraid to fight me?" I mocked triumphantly.

Suddenly, one of them the smiled at me. I blinked in confusion.

I slowly followed his gaze…

…then it dawned on me.

He smiled at the person _behind_ me.

"DIIIEEEE!"

I spun around and blocked the blow barely in time, gasping as both my arms went numb from the force.

Quickly, I leaped out of his reach and gazed at him incredulously. Blood was spilling out of the large diagonal wound, his breathing was ragged, and he could barely keep himself standing. Yet, he still came at me with unprecedented vigor.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" He yelled and swung the mace even faster than before. Alarmed by the sudden surge of speed, I was pushed back as I struggled to dodge or redirect the pelting rain of blows.

Why? What was keeping him standing? The pain should've been enough to make him unconscious! Why was he faster? Why was he stronger? Why wasn't he falling down?

"WHY? Why do you fight so hard?" I yelled finally, shoving him back with a kick in the stomach and stabbing my sword into his shoulder. Blood spewed out.

"THEY WILL LET ME OUT" he screamed, grabbing my sword with his bare hands and yanking it out roughly. I yelled as blood was sprayed into my eyes.

"To do what? Commit another crime?!" I aimed a high kick at his head while blinking the blood out of eyes. It struck true and I pulled vehemently on the sword to regain its control. It wouldn't budge.

"THEY WILL LET ME SEE MY DAUGHTERS!" To my utter dismay, he tore the weapon out my hands with brute force and sent it spinning away like a broken toy. I staggered back.

"FOR TEN YEARS! I HAVE WAITED FOR TEN YEARS!" He gripped the mace with his bleeding hands and swung the mace dangerously close to my head. I had to stop listening. I couldn't afford to be distracted.

"ALL I HAVE TO DO IS KILL YOU!" The man threw his mace at me and launched himself after it. I narrowly dodged the mace, but was painfully knocked flat on the ground by the man's punch and found his weight crushing down on my body.

"AND YOU THINK I'LL JUST LET YOU DO THAT?" I bellowed furiously, banging my forehead against the man's. The man howled in pain but still clung on me tightly.

"DIE! DIE! DIE! PLEASE JUST DIE!" the man yelled, landing punch after punch on me in complete disregard.

"STOP" I retaliated with a hard jab in his wounded stomach.

"BEING" I slammed my fist into his face, knocking out a few bloody teeth.

"UNREASONABLE!" I threw him off and kicked his side as hard as I could. I heard a loud crack, signaling the breaking of one of his ribs as he rolled across the ground… and stopping right beside his discarded mace. Shit.

He picked up the mace. His hands shook from fatigue. His feet trembled from tiredness. Yet, he rushed at me.

I dashed toward my sword.

There was no way I was going to fight him barehanded.

But soon I found that the mortally injured man was _gaining_ on me, in spite of the numerous wounds he sported. It wasn't normal! What in the world was this man made of! Was it because of his daughters? Could it be that he's actually telling the truth?

He was going to catch me before I could reach it!

I made a wild swoop at the weapon, stretching my hands as far as I could.

The tips of my fingers touched to hilt…

…but he was already on to top of me.

"LEYMIA AND MELIA, THEY WERE JUST STARTING SCHOOL!" He raised his mace and sent it crashing down at the ground I was a second ago. I rolled and snatch my sword from ground.

"THEY'RE WAITING FOR ME TO COME HOME! " No. No. Don't listen. Block it out. He's lying. Concentrate! The mission! You have to impress Esdese! I dodged his swing and landed deep another cut on the side of his torso.

He fumbled with the mace his hands and it slipped. He was losing his strength. The loss of blood was starting to kill him. It was only a matter of time now

"THEY'RE WAITING FOR ME TO BUY THEM BIRTHDAY PRESENTS!"

'Stop distracting me! Damn it!' I thought as I lashed out.

I cut his leg.

"THEY'RE WAITING FOR ME TO TELL THEM"

'Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!' I mentally shouted as I struck again.

I stabbed his shoulder.

"EVERYTHING!"

'I don't care! I don't want to hear!' I thought, trying, and failing, to block his cries out.

I pierced his knee.

"IS!" I had to finish him before he distracts me anymore! I couldn't let him continue!

I severed his arm.

Blood was gushing out from the stump, but he didn't stop. There wasn't even the tiniest bit of fear, pain, or hesitation in his eyes as he charged at me empty handed. It was stupid. It was reckless. It was blindness.

"ALRIIIGHT!"

I impaled him in the chest.

The tip of the cold blade protruded out of his back, crimson and glistening with blood.

I felt a drop of water fall on the back of my hands.

"They're waiting...for me...to apologize..." Tears were streaming out of his eyes. His knees collided against the ground.

"...I was such...an awful father..." My hands shook violently. Slowly, I began to pull out the blade.

"I...never gave them presents..." It was halfway out.

"I...never told them...how beautiful...they were..." I was crying. Why was I crying? Crying wouldn't impress Esdese. Control yourself!

"I...never even said...'I love...you'...to them..." His voice was raw with remorse, and hurt.

'Shit! Shit! Shit! Stop! This isn't right! Everything is twisted!' I thought angrily, unsure at exactly who or what I was angry at.

"Leymia..." He called out faintly.

'No! Wait! He can't die yet it isn't right!' I thought as I found myself mentally pleading with the man that had just tried to kill me to live on.

"Melia..." He touched my cheek with his remaining hand.

'Don't! Hang in there!' I desperately and irrationally thought.

"I'm sorry...I'm so, so sorry..." He looked at me, and said with a broken voice.

'Stop saying it to me. Say it to them yourself!' I mentally willed the man to live on. He was so strong before why couldn't he hold on now?!

"I couldn't…keep…my promise…" He voice grew weak. I shook my head vigorously.

"…and take you…around the world…" His eyelids began to droop.

"I hope...next time...you two can find…"

"...a better father..." He pulled me into his arms tightly.

'What are you talking about? Shut up!' Was the thought that ran through my mind.

"...than..." He smiled. No! No! No! No! No!

"...me..."

The blade was dislodged completely.

The shaking stopped.

I had won…this match.

Blood dripped down from the tip of my sword.

I killed him. He was only trying to see his daughters, and I killed him. Why did I have to kill him? Why did I have to fight?

Because it was for the greater good. Before the happiness and prosperity of hundreds of thousands of people, the death and pain of one single man couldn't possibly mean much, could it?

For the sake of the people suffering in this country, sacrifices had to be made…

Sacrifices no one would remember…

Sacrifices no one would care about…

Sacrifices that were necessary to pave this bloody road of peace.

I gripped my sword tightly.

I would keep on fighting. I would keep on fighting to prevent these tragedies from happening again. I would keep on fighting to bring down an evil that only served to create misery.

I would keep on fighting, no matter how condemned my soul became.

"Next"

Another man stepped forward.

"What is your name?" I asked, my voice hoarse and raspy as though I'd screamed all of my earlier thoughts out loud.

He pointed his lance at me.

"Joseph"

We charged at each other.

"Thank you." I said calmly. I felt empty at that moment. The emotional toil of the previous fight numbing me to what I would have to do, many more times.

I blocked his strike.

"I will remember it." I promised. It was all I could do to honor them for their sacrifice. I would remember each one that I cut down.

I lashed out.

**Half an Hour Later:**

Five broken bodies strewed the arena.

My first opponent, whose name I did not know, fought for the sake of his young daughters. I killed him by impaling his chest.

My second opponent, Joseph, fought for the sake of his bedridden father. I killed him by stabbing his heart.

My third opponent, Aidan, fought for the sake of his starving family. I killed him by making him bleed to death.

My fourth opponent, Benjamin, fought for the sake of his widowed sister. I killed him by cutting him in half.

My fifth opponent, Casimir, fought for the sake of his dying village. I killed him by slicing his head off.

I had done nothing wrong.

They were all necessary sacrifices to bring about a peaceful world.

Their deaths would not be in vain.

I had dutifully carried out my mission.

Everything was going as planned.

But I hoped that Joseph and others…

…would stop murmuring in my ears.

Footsteps sounded behind me. I turned my head.

It was Esdese, wearing a warm smile on her face. She was even more beautiful than I remembered, now that the sun shone upon her perfect skin and her silky hair. She walked up to me, followed by Shirley and a man I failed to recognize.

"Well done, young warrior. You have performed spectacularly" she patted my shoulders encouragingly.

"Thank you, General Esdese" I replied, offering her my brightest grin. It was funny how happy I could look when all I felt within me was cold and emptiness.

"Not stuttering anymore, are we?" said the woman with a mischievous smile and suddenly drew close, blowing air into my ears gently.

"KYYAAA! Wa..wait…what are…WHAT ARE YOU DOING, GENERAL ESDESE?! STOP!" I yelled frantically, trying to escape her grasp. I was completely surprised by the somewhat intimate action and couldn't help but blush.

"Such a lovely boy, don't you think, Lieutenant Asher?" said Esdese, chuckling at my scarlet face.

"Of course, ma'am" answered the man

"Now, it's about time you tell me your name, young warrior" said Esdese, looking straight at me with her piercing blue eyes.

I looked back at her, and smiled. For some odd reason this smile was more genuine and the cold within me and voices in my ear disappeared for a moment.

"Tatsumi" I said. Judging by her expression I had indeed impressed her and was one step closer to completing my mission. For a moment I looked behind her to the pile of bodies that were being removed from the arena.

'Thank you all.' I silently thought to the fallen warriors.

"Come, Tatsumi." Esdese said as she turned and walked away, the others following behind her.

"Y-Yes ma'am!" I said as I hurried to fall in line.

Step 1 complete.

**Esdese:**

I walked silently, with Tatsumi and the two officers trailing behind me obediently. Yet, I was only vaguely aware of my surroundings as I led them across the camp.

I had changed my mind. Initially I only considered the boy a new toy to play with, a disposable object to be discarded once thoroughly broken. It was a practice I had done on many occasions in the past, but this time I uncovered something immensely interesting.

The boy, Tatsumi, was terribly inexperienced, given the shameful outburst of emotions I witnessed on his first fight. He could have won in a much shorter time, using much less energy with a much simpler strategy.

His movements were crude, unrefined and lacked a particular style. Throughout his entire time in the arena he continuously shifted through different stances and maneuvers, barely stringing them together with his agile movements. Perhaps the only acceptable technique I acknowledged was the horizontal slash he performed in his first match. The move in itself was fairly outstanding, but it was poorly executed. If done correctly, it should've cut the man in two, not just left a shallow wound on his chest.

Yet, mistakes as such were nothing but a tiny, harmless smudge compared to the sheer amount of raw potential he possessed. The rare ability to detect the subtle changes of presence when an opponent attacks and the capability of making split-second decision correctly were essential attributes in raising a brilliant warrior. The boy had them all.

Clumsy as they were, his movements were clean and effective. He quickly picked up the way his opponents fought, and decided on to the best way to counter it without realizing it himself. It was like his body was always one step ahead of his conscious mind.

The fact that he also possessed a determined and proud character did nothing but add upon the already abundant gift he was born with.

Tatsumi was a natural. There was no doubt about it. With his prodigious talent, lack of experience was merely an insignificant issue that could be easily resolved with time and training.

It seemed that Asher's speculations were correct.

Tatsumi would go much further than a Lieutenant. If he could complete the training I had in mind for him, he could possibly become someone _strong_.

I glanced back at the boy. He had light, coffee brown hair and a pair of deep emerald eyes that shone with an air of innocence. It was obvious that he wasn't raised in the Capital. In that rancid den of corruption, boys his age would be skilled thieves and able swindlers. It was what it took for them to survive. They had long casted aside the alleged 'kind' nature of humanity in exchange for a barely sustainable living of stealing and robbery.

I wonder how long it would take for those eyes to lose their gleam.

After you lost count of the number of people you fell, and you couldn't bear to look at your hands without being crushed by the cries and shrieks of your victims, your heart would numb itself in an act of self-preservation.

From the initial remorse, to a slight sense of uneasiness, and finally to an empty void of nothing, gradually human lives would lose their value in your mind, and you would no longer be burdened by guilt when you execute a man in front of his weeping wife and daughter.

I had never experienced the process in person, as I had never held the value of human lives in high regard, but I had witnessed its occurrence in several of my former subordinates. More specifically, a group of Imperial Arms Users nicknamed the 'Ravagers'.

When they first joined my troops, one could say that they were a bunch of lively, passionate youngsters each with their own handful of dreams and ideals. They were irritating, loud, lazy and notoriously obnoxious among high ranking officers, but strangely enough, they mingled fabulously with ordinary soldiers.

There were countless instances when I was tempted to freeze them into oblivion, such as the night they tried to get me drunk by spiking my drink with vodka, and the night they torched the stables because they wanted to find out the melting point of cement, and the night they drew a Colonel a perfect handlebar mustache by using the powers of an Imperial Arms to sneak into his tent…

In the first stages of the siege, dealing with their lunacy was more grueling than fighting the northern tribes, which in retrospect was rather ironic.

But as the war waged on, months of death and blood silently slipped by, and I noticed that a change had slowly found its way to that small group of energetic teens.

They became more silent, and I often caught them staring blankly at the battlefield that was scantily littered with lone limbs and entrails.

Their style of fighting became aggressive and ruthless, often ignoring the presence of allies as they eagerly charged headfirst into the ranks of enemy soldiers. That was what earned them the title of 'Ravagers', a name feared mutually by both sides of the war and also a name that brought about their untimely deaths.

By the time our victory was declared, only two out of seven remained of the original group, and I knew from the gazes of their murky eyes that something within them was broken for good.

I dismissed the two of them, and returned their Imperial Arms to the armory in the palace. I never saw them again.

I did not feel any sympathy.

They were too weak. It was as simple as that.

I reached a long, secluded building at a remote corner of the camp, and halted my footsteps.

The three men behind me mirrored my movements.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm afraid I don't have the keys to this particular facility." said Asher hesitantly as I approached the doors that were securely locked and heavily reinforced with layers of steel.

"You aren't supposed to. After all, this is where I keep my private collection." I said with a small chuckle.

Silently, I raised my hands, and triggered the 'Demon's Extract'.

A tiny sphere of ice appeared in my hand and hovered above it steadily.

Then it began to stretch.

The ball was molded into a long slim figure that was thinner in the middle and slighter thicker at the two ends.

At one side, ridges protruded out and the other formed a smooth flat surface.

"A key" muttered Tatsumi, awed.

I inserted it into the keyhole and turned.

Click.

The doors swung open quietly.

"Come in, and don't touch anything on the shelves." I said and stepped into the pitch black space.

The moment I set foot into the room, two rows of blazing torches flared up on both sides, illuminating the warehouse with their bright, flickering flames.

Soundlessly, the doors closed behind us, and I turned around to enjoy their expressions.

The sight nearly made me laugh.

Shirley was experiencing a panic attack and hyperventilating as his eyes darted from one side of the room to another, as if he didn't know where to look. Gradually, his mustached face reddened in excitement and his mouth was left hanging open with saliva threatening to dribble down.

Asher had put up an even more amusing display. He was obviously torn between his primal urges to touch the items on the shelves and his rational thoughts of following my orders. Apparently the right side of his body was the instinctive side, as he kept holding back his right arm with his left.

There were several long iron shelves in the room and each held a diverse assortment of items, varying from weapons such as swords, lances, bows, arrows, to books and scrolls of history, herbs, geography, Danger Beasts, medical ailments, and novels.

It was a treasure trove stuffed with ancient relics and priceless manuscripts from the past thousand years of Empire history.

They were all preserved with absolute caution, and not a single speck of dust could be found on their surfaces.

"Whoa…" I heard Tatsumi gasp and I turned to gaze at him.

The corner of my mouth twitched.

He was happily plastering his face on a glossy bronze mirror and looking at the image within it with loving eyes.

"Oh, wow…I never knew I was so handsome. Man, I must've been blind. These shining emerald eyes, these full, sexy, lips, and this nose, oh this uniquely squashed nose, it's…IT'S SO PERFECT. Let me kiss myself…OUCH!"

I slapped him across the cheek and snatched the mirror out of his hands.

"This" I said coldly to Tatsumi who looked at me with big watery eyes, "is the Mirror of Narcissus. It makes dim-witted imbeciles such as yourself fall in love with the first reflection of a living being you see in it."

Tatsumi whimpered pathetically.

"But I looked so handsome! I like myself!" he protested childishly.

I sent him a warm smile and gently held his hands.

"If you touch one more thing in this room without my permission, Tatsumi-kun, I will enjoy making you hate yourself more than anything else in the world. Do you understand?" I said sweetly while slowly bending back one of his fingers.

"Ouch! I understand! I understand! Ouch! It's snapping! It's snapping!" the boy shouted loudly.

"Perhaps I need to break a finger or two to have my words penetrate that thick skull of yours, Tatsumi-kun. That would leave a deep enough impression, wouldn't it?" I said and bent the finger back even further.

"I get it! I won't touch anything! Don't do it!" Tatsumi's voice traveled higher as the digit reached the brink of snapping.

I released it, and Tatsumi sighed in relief, cradling it carefully.

"Good, now you must all be wondering why I took you here." I said, walking slowly down the aisles and letting my hand skim the air above the precious items.

"I want to give Tatsumi a little gift, to serve as encouragement" I said, sensing surprise from the trio behind me.

I walked up to one of the nearest shelves, and took a set of black, metallic objects carefully from its place.

I returned to the entrance where the men waited patiently.

"Tatsumi, hold out your hands." I addressed him.

"Yes, ma'am" he replied and did as he was told.

_Snap. Snap_.

"Gauntlets…?" the boy confirmed as I checked their tightness carefully.

"Yes. But they're a bit heavier than the ones you normally see." I said nonchalantly as I loosened the wrappings by a small margin.

"It's not too heavy…is it?" asked the boy, flexing his fingers nervously.

"We'll see." I replied.

I let go of them.

BOOM. The boy's wrists collided against the ground in a deafening crash.

"Hm, that seems about right" I mused, and stared at Tatsumi as he struggled to lift himself into a standing position.

"It's…too…much…" the boy said between gasps.

"Don't worry, I have ones for your ankles too" I smiled darkly, easily twirling another one of them on my index finger.

Tatsumi whimpered again.

**Five Minutes Later:**

"Err…Esdese-sama, forgive me but I'm not sure it's a good idea to leave the boy like that" said Shirley hesitantly as we made our way back to the main building.

I looked at him questioningly.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well…it took him a minute to crawl outside from the entrance. In this temperature, I don't think he'll make it to the main building alive, Esdese-sama" answered Shirley.

"There is no need for you to worry, Shirley. I won't let him die that easily." I said dismissively. There was no way I was going to be denied molding and shaping Tatsumi as I saw fit by something as trivial as death by heat stroke.

"Yes, ma'am" the officer replied.

We walked for another few minutes before I struck up a conversation.

"How are things in the Capital faring, Shirley? I was too occupied with the Prime Minister's antics to pay much notice in the palace." I inquired.

Shirley's forehead creased in a small frown before he carefully selected the pertinent words to phrase the situation.

"Things haven't gotten any worse, Esdese-sama" the man finally squeezed out.

I sighed.

"I'm sure they haven't, Shirley. If they have, we'd be facing large scale riots instead of the occasional arsonist trying to set the palace ablaze. What I'm more interested in is that organization the Minister kept mumbling about. Night Raid, was it?" I asked. Shirley's eyes lit up.

"Yes! Night Raid! It's a dangerous group of Imperial Arms Users who assassinate nobles and wealthy merchants in the night! Even the User of the demon blade, 'One Cut Killer: Murasame' is confirmed to be one of their current members! They've murdered dozens of esteemed-" Shirley began to ramble excitedly before I cut him off.

"I didn't ask you to advertise them, Shirley. Have you made any progress in eradicating them? My ears were festering during my stay in Capital with the Minister droning about the trouble they caused for days on end" I said, cutting off Shirley sharply. But, surprisingly, instead of being disheartened, the man became even more eager and excited.

"Yes, ma'am! Recently, two weeks ago in fact, we've managed to eliminate one of the members and retrieved her Imperial Arms without sustaining any casualties!" said Shirley proudly.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting a positive response.

"Impressive. I never knew there were Users within the City Guard. It appears that my information is poorly out of date." I said, smiling at the man encouragingly.

Again I was astonished by the man's response.

His face fell and all the previous excitement was flushed from his features.

"Actually, ma'am…the woman was taken down by Seryu Ubiquitous, a member of the Imperial Guard and a former subordinate of Sergeant Ogre, who was killed by Night Raid" said the man, sullenly.

"I see…"

"But the City Guard also played an irreplaceable role in her defeat! Had we not rushed to the scene at first notice, Ubiquitous would've been killed by the woman's accomplice! She should've been more grateful instead of hoarding all the success to herself!" exclaimed Shirley heatedly.

"Which Arms does this Seryu Ubiquitous wield?" I asked curiously, ignoring the man's outburst.

"The organism based Imperial Arms, 'Magical Beast Transformation: Hekatonkheires'. Well, I understand why an insane girl like her would be compatible with that monstrous thing" commented Shirley bitterly.

"There's no need to be so sour, Officer. Imperial Arms are exceedingly difficult to acquire, and suitable users even more so. In my opinion, preventing order in the Capital from deteriorating is already quite the commendable feat." I said and saw the man's expression brighten slightly.

"Thank you, ma'am" said Shirley. He obviously took comfort in my small amount of praise.

"You're welcome" I replied. As tedious as it was sometimes I knew my men needed encouragement every once in awhile to keep their spirits up and to fight at peak form. Though I wouldn't be making a habit of it any time soon.

"Esdese-sama."

I looked at him from the corner of my eye.

"What is it?" I asked, becoming exasperated.

"Do you plan on having the boy, Tatsumi, officially enlist in the Imperial Army?" inquired Shirley boldly.

"No, I do not want my training to be interrupted by assignments from the army. But perhaps some time in the future, Shirley. So be patient, and wait" I answered simply.

That was true. It would take the bare minimum of a month for Tatsumi to establish a basic physical foundation, even with the help of parts of the Obsidian Guard. It was an essential procedure, otherwise his body wouldn't be sturdy enough to withstand the training I was going to put him through.

"I understand, ma'am. But with all the disturbances and commotions emerging within the Empire, would it be alright to spend so much time on the boy?" Shirley looked worried as he spoke.

"I could hardly care less" I said airily.

"Esdese-sama, you should abstain from making such remarks in the camp. Most of these soldiers enlisted believing that they're serving the Empire, after all" said Shirley drily.

I laughed.

"How about you, Shirley? Do you feel obligated to contribute to this nation? Do you think that this sinking ship can be saved, even now?" I asked him, with a note of mirthful sarcasm.

The man shrugged.

"Whether or not can it be saved, is not something men of caliber should worry over. I do what I am told to do, ma'am, because it can fetch me some bread and butter and a relatively stable life. I seek nothing more." Shirley replied.

I looked at him disapprovingly.

"How dull. Don't you have some wild ambitions you want to pursue, or some youthful dreams waiting for you to fulfill?" I asked curiously.

"Forgive me for my audacity, ma'am, but I am old enough to be your father. I don't think the word 'youthful' suits me quite well" retorted Shirley.

The fear I instilled within my name made normal conversations among men nearly impossible, as they firmly believed that a word said wrong would ultimately end in their deaths. It was slightly refreshing to have a subordinate I could converse with in a leisurely manner.

"Speaking of age, Officer" I said, chuckling playfully, "If I remembered correctly, you are still unmarried. Perhaps you are still pitifully mourning over the broken heart of unrequited love, or perhaps you are loyally awaiting the return of a lovely maiden who made you a promise decades ago, or -"

"- perhaps I am simply too stiff and weary to indulge myself in carnal desires anymore, Esdese-sama. Recently, I heard that the Capital is breaking out in a wave of venereal diseases, I would like to spare myself of the pain and not split my assets between a woman who most likely married me for it" said Shirley interrupted me, playing along.

"You, Officer, are such a shallow person. Marriage includes, but is not limited to money and sexual intercourse. It is the final product of love!" I exclaimed with vigor.

"And also the grave of it" muttered Shirley under his breath.

"You are being unreasonably pessimistic, Officer. Were you perhaps afflicted by an unsuccessful relationship in the past?" I inquired fighting back a chuckle. I was enjoying myself greatly.

"I am being necessarily realistic, and for my past experiences with women, I don't…"

"ESDESE-SAMA!" I was caught off guard when I heard Asher's loud voice booming behind me. The man, who was supposed to be standing guard and supervising Tatsumi's progress, ran at us.

"The boy fainted, Esdese-sama. It seemed that he was already exhausted from the fights" said Asher.

I sighed deeply. The playful atmosphere with Shirley was now gone and it was back to business as it were.

"I'll take care of it. Shirley, Asher, return to the main building" I said, heading back the way I came.

Barely a minute's walk later, I found him.

He was laying on the ground, his eyes closed and his chest heaving rhythmically.

He was sleeping.

"I really should just leave you here…" I muttered to myself as I crouched down slowly.

"…but since you did work pretty hard…" Judging from how far he traveled from the building, he did try his hardest to complete the task. Given all he'd been through I decided to consider it an adequate attempt.

"…I'll make an exception just this once" I said, shaking my head slightly in exasperation.

I ended up carrying him back…

…bridal style.

Akame:

I woke up.

My limbs felt heavy. My head felt heavy. I didn't want to get up.

I opened my eyes. I looked out of the window.

It was dark again.

It had been an entire day since I last spoke to Tatsumi. It had been an entire day since Tatsumi decided to leave.

It had been an entire day since I cried.

I slowly sat up on the bed.

I was strong. I wanted protect everyone. I wanted to make everyone's dream come true.

I wouldn't cry again.

I slipped off the bed and pushed open the door of my room.

I walked down the stairs.

I heard voices talking.

"Stop being such a dick, Lubbock! The two of us are more than enough to do this! Leave Akame alone!" Leone was shouting angrily.

"No! We need her! This is a big case, Leone! It's safer that way!" Lubbock was shouting too equally as frustrated.

"Are you telling me that letting a heartbroken girl walk into the battlefield makes things safer?! She hasn't eaten a bite since yesterday night! Grow a pair or get a heart, will you!" Leone yelled.

Heartbroken. That was how Leone described me.

Was I heartbroken? I didn't know. Yesterday night, I felt sad. This morning, I felt hurtful. Tonight, I didn't feel anything.

"We are not doing this because it's EASY, we're doing this because it's RIGHT! And for your information, we don't get days off because we're undergoing some sick emotional turbulence!" Lubbock retorted.

They were fighting. They were fighting because of me.

I stepped into the main hall.

Leone stopped talking. Lubbock stopped talking too.

They looked at me.

"Akame-chan…"

"I will go" I said. Lubbock look relieved. Leone looked concerned.

"Akame-chan, it's okay if you stay. You don't need to push yourself" Leone said worriedly.

I smiled at her.

"I'm fine, Leone." I said. Her expression mirrored how I felt inside.

I wasn't fine. My head felt sluggish. My senses felt dull. A mission was what I needed.

Danger would snap me back normal. I was sure of it.

"Thanks a lot, Akame. This case is really important, and things might get pretty nasty if our client is correct about the bodyguards they hired" Lubbock said. Lubbock patted my back.

"Who's the target, Lubbock? It's not normal, seeing you so jittery" Leone crossed her arms. She was visibly upset that I agreed to the mission.

"You know the owner of the charity foundation, Harbor for Humanity?" Lubbock asked. I shook my head.

"Um…no. In fact I never knew there were charity foundations in the Capital. I thought they got completely wiped out by Prime Minister decades ago, when the previous Emperor was still alive." said Leone, pondering.

"Well, now we know that at least one survived, albeit illegally. The Harbor doesn't directly give the money or provisions to the people they're trying to help. They fund people like that doctor in the slums you mentioned with their money so they can buy better machines or medicine to help the people in need. It also makes it harder for the government to track them down." explained Lubbock. I understood.

"So what does this have to do with our job, Lubbock? I mean what they're doing is good right?" Leone asked. She was confused.

"Yeah, that's right, but we've received news…" Lubbock said, holding up a large stack of paper clipped together.

"…from our anonymous client over here that the owner of the foundation, Alexander Zelch, is an imposter" said Lubbock. He handed us the stack of paper.

"Anonymous? That usually isn't good news, Lubbock. Are you sure this stuff reliable?" Leone asked skeptically as we read.

"I'm certain. After a fair bit of digging, it appears that the real Alexander Zelch got snuffed months ago, and the guy sitting there right now is a fake. Well, he definitely wasn't wasting his time. Look at page six" said Lubbock.

I flipped to the page.

I saw pictures. I saw something familiar.

I saw pills.

My hands shook slightly.

It was repulsive. It was a repulsive act of atrocity.

"These are drugs! These are the same kind we found in the basement of that fucking Baron we killed yesterday! That fucking bastard is using the people's money to manufacture drugs!" Leone shouted. She was angry, and so was I.

Yesterday after I killed Baron Szech the 2nd in his office, I investigated the building.

In his basement, I found bodies.

Broken bodies of men, woman, adults, children, infants lay on the ground. Their skin was sickly pale, their limbs were thin from starvation, and all of them wore an expression of great pain on their features. They all died suffering.

They were all killed by the drugs manufactured by the Baron.

"Yeah, Mein and I went scouting today, and we got testimonies from a few thugs after beating the crap out of them. He's definitely the guy sponsoring Baron Snail all the cash, there's no mistaking it" said Lubbock grimly.

"That son of a bitch! I'll rip his head off!" Leone growled.

The man's actions were unforgivable. Almost everyone in the Capital was poor. It took a lot of kindness and determination to donate even the tiniest amount of money. But the man abused it. He used the kindness of the people to fund drug dealers.

Unforgivable.

"Well, that's the hard part. The two of us went to check out the headquarters, and we snuck in to see if we could get our hands on a blueprint or layout of the building. But we didn't get ten feet into the place before a bunch of arrows and darts came flying at us. Plus, it triggered the most awful alarm I have ever heard in my life. It sounded like Leone screaming. Ouch! Just kidding!" Leone kicked Lubbock.

"What I'm trying to say is that the entire place is booby-trapped, so getting in won't be easy. Another issue I want you two to know is that bodyguard Fake Alexander employed" Lubbock continued.

"You worry too much, Lubbock. There's no way some puny bodyguard can win against the three us. I'll smash his head like a watermelon later if you're still concerned" said Leone viciously. She smacked a fist into the palm of her other hand. Leone sounded evil.

"Sure, if you can do it, but Fake Alexander hired the guy using two times the money our client gave us, and from what I've heard he's got quite the reputation as a freelancer too. Well, it's probably the same exaggerated crap they always talk about, so don't fret over it too much, but…" Lubbockbegan, his expression deadly serious.

"…be careful just the same. Yeah, we know, Lubbock" Leone finished. I nodded. We couldn't afford to be careless. Even the simplest of missions carried the threat of death in them.

"Basically all we need to do is kill Fake Alexander, and our client will take care of the rest. Bulat would've been perfect for this job, since all we need to do is hide behind him and the booby traps can just go to hell, but he's got another case on his hands for tonight. Sorry, Akame, I know you're still pissed off at Tatsumi, but I want to make sure we have enough firepower to just blow everything up in case things get really, really bad" Lubbock said. His tone was apologetic. Apparently Leone's earlier comments had gotten to him a bit.

"It's okay" I said. I needed to clear my head. A request like this one was perfect.

"Hey, Lubbock, shouldn't we wait a few days for them to let their guard down? You did set off the alarm this morning, didn't you?" Leone asked.

"I want to sock them while they're still there. If Fake Alexander is half as smart as I think he is, he'll probably move out the place ASAP when he heard the alarms without seeing the bodies. You know how much I hate searching for things." said Lubbock.

"Lubbock is always searching for places to look at me and Leone bathing." I pointed out. Lubbock paled drastically.

"Wh…what are you talking about? A gentleman like me would never do that!" Lubbock denied nervously.

"You fart when you're lying" said Leone teased.

"That is just too far-fetched!" Lubbock yelled trying to defend himself.

I smiled, just a tiny bit.

Leone gasped at my expression.

"Yay! Akame-chan finally smiled! I should humiliate you more, Lubbock. Obviously it provides excellent entertainment" Leone squealed as she hugged me.

"Ha ha ha. Hilarious. Can we go now?!" Leone sounded irritated. Lubbock was just being shy.

"You're such a killjoy, Lubbock. Fine, let's go kick some ass!" Leone shouted. Leone ran out of the hideout.

"Stop, you beast woman! Hold on!" Lubbock shouted chasing after her.

"You'll have to catch me, slowpoke!" Leone shouted back. Leone stuck out her tongue.

"YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!"

Leone fell to the ground in embarrassment before turning to follow after Lubbock and myself.

Night in the Capital was both silent and noisy.

In the inner district, it was silent. Nobody was on the street. Everybody kept to themselves. We were the ones that made this happen.

In the outer district, it was noisy. People walked around. People chatted. People went to the red light district. This was the best time of the day for them. They could talk freely, without worrying about being overheard by soldiers or the City Guard. It was when people in the slums enjoyed themselves.

We were in the outer district. We avoided the busy streets. We didn't want to be seen. Most of the people in the outer district knew Leone. But I was wanted. We didn't want to take risks.

We ran for twenty minutes. Lubbock stopped.

There was a building in front of us. It was stout, dirty, and weathered. Graffiti was painted on its walls, and paint was peeling off too.

The door was open.

"This is the place" Lubbock said.

"Pretty shabby for the headquarters of an illegal charity foundation" Leone commented skeptically.

"They're not supposed to stand out, woman. Listen, I don't know if they've restocked the traps I triggered this morning, but keep an eye out, alright?" Lubbock said. I nodded. Leone rolled her eyes.

"We know, Lubbock. Akame-chan and I have done this longer than you have." Leone said.

"I'm just trying to help here" Lubbock shrugged. Lubbock pushed his palms in front of him.

Wires streamed out of 'Crosstail' and formed a shield in front of Lubbock.

"Let's go!" Leone said cheerfully. Leone pushed Lubbock in front of her.

"Wait." I said, stopping them.

"What is it, Akame-chan?" Leone asked.

I pointed inside the building.

Leone squinted her eyes. Then she saw it.

There was a dark figure sitting in the shadows silently.

It was leaning against the walls. It didn't notice us.

I drew out Murasame.

"I'll go" I said. I walked forward.

I readied Murasame.

I reached the entrance. The figure was in my range.

One strike.

That was all I ever needed.

"Eliminate"

I swung my sword.

"What time is it… Setsuna is so sleepy…"

I stopped Murasame in midair. I looked at the small figure sitting on the floor.

It was a girl.

She looked young, even younger than me, maybe around the same age as Kurome. She was dozing off.

Her hair was white. White hair was a trait from the northern tribes.

She wore baggy clothing. It was much too large for her body. The sleeves drooped down. It made her look cute.

There was a collar on her neck. It was black. It was probably made of iron.

She was a slave. She was sold to the Capital.

I sheathed Murasame.

I heard Lubbock's and Leone's footsteps behind me.

"What's a girl like her doing here?" Lubbock asked, frowning.

"I don't know, but I want to cuddle her! Her expression is just so cute!" Leone's exclaimed excitedly. I stood in front of Leone. I wouldn't let anyone suffer from the clutches of Leone's cuddling! Never!

I crouched down and shook her.

"Wake up." I ordered.

"…five more minutes…Setsuna is tired…" the girl mumbled. Her head drooped. She was falling asleep again. Leone was right. She looked really cute.

I pulled her cheeks.

"Wah! What are you doing to Setsuna?" the white haired girl opened her eyes and shouted. Tears were welling up in her auburn eyes. Her cheeks were turning red.

I kept pulling.

Her cheeks were soft, and stretchy too. It felt good. It was fun.

"Waaahhh! Stop! Stop! Setsuna is not a toy! Setsuna is awake! Wah! You're stretching Setsuna's face too much!" The girl as protesting, but I didn't want to let go.

"Waaaaaaaahh!

"Akame-chan…you're actually an S, aren't you?"

A minute later, I let go.

The girl quickly bounced backward. She looked at me hatefully.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. It seemed odd that a slave would be out alone like this.

"Meanie! Onee-chan is a big meanie!" The girl glared at me.

"Let me handle this, Akame-chan." Leone told me. Leone grinned.

"Setsuna-chan, is it? Can you tell onee-chan why you're here? Here, I'll give Setsuna-chan some chocolate" Leone spoke. Leone took out a bar of chocolate from her pockets.

Leone held it out to the girl. The girl looked at it.

_Chomp._

"OUCH! Don't eat my hand too!" Leone cried. Leone pulled her hand out of Setsuna's mouth. It was sticky.

"Setsuna…_chew_…is here…_chew_…to work" Setsuna said.

I understood. Setsuna had to work for her owner. Setsuna had no choice. It was sad.

"Who do you work for, Setsuna-chan? Is it Alexander Zelch-san?" Leone asked. Leone gave Setsuna another bar of chocolate.

Setsuna shook her head.

"Setsuna works for Giordani-san. Cucumber-san is Giordani-san's client" Setsuna said. She tore open the wrappings of chocolate. She munched on it.

Leone looked at Lubbock. Lubbock shrugged.

"Err…So, Setsuna-chan, what kind of work do you do for Cucumber-san?" Leone inquired.

"Setsuna…_chew_…protects Cucumber-san…_chew_…from big bats…" Setsuna said.

"Big bats? We don't have bats in the Capital! You're lying, brat!" Lubbock scoffed. Setsuna kicked him.

"There are! Giordani-san showed Setsuna a poster. It had a big bat in the middle. Giordani-san said the big bats are going to hurt Cucumber-san. If Setsuna kills the big bats when they come Cucumber-san will give Giordani-san lots of jinglies! But Setsuna didn't see any big bats… It was boring, so Setsuna fell asleep." Setsuna pouted. The gesture was very cute…

…but it made a chill run up my spine.

I looked at Leone, and Lubbock. They were tense.

"Hey, Setsuna-chan, do you want more chocolate? Onee-chan has ones that are white. They are very, very delicious!" Leone smiled. Leone held out her hand.

"Really?! Setsuna wants to eat some, but…" Setsuna looked troubled.

"It's okay, onee-chan eats it all the time!" Leone extended her hand even further.

"…but, Nice onee-chan, don't you and Mean onee-chan and Grassy Head onii-chan want to play with Setsuna?" She asked curiously. Her tone was light but her eyes took on a strange gleam that put us all on edge.

Leone froze.

"What are talking about, brat? Why would we want to play with you?" Lubbock twitched his fingers. Lubbock was getting ready to use 'Crosstail'.

"The big bats aren't here yet. Waiting is boring. Setsuna wants to play!" Setsuna shouted excitedly. She stood up clumsily.

"Are you sure you want to play with us, Setsuna-chan? Onee-chan won't go easy just because you're little" Leone said. Her tone was a mix of readiness as well as sadness. She obviously didn't want to fight the slave girl.

Setsuna tilted her head.

"Little? But when Setsuna plays, Setsuna gets bigger." She said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Setsuna touched her collar.

We were blinded by a flash of light.

We leaped backward.

I drew out Murasame. Lubbock formed a shield with his wires.

The light diminished.

"Jeez…that was really embarrassing" a cool female voice said.

It was a girl. She looked like Setsuna, but she was older. Her hair was longer. Her figure was well developed. The clothes fit her perfectly.

She held a pitch black lance in her hands.

She looked at us.

"Well, before we start, I suppose I should give you a proper introduction" Older Setsuna said.

She pointed her lance at us.

"I am Setsuna Shiori, User of the Imperial Arm 'Savage Calamity: Jormungandr', and also the final opponent for you all in your lives" Setsuna said.

"'Jormungandr'?! It's one of the Lost Twenty-Four!" Leone shouted. In a civil war are 500 years ago, half of the 48 existing Imperial Arms disappeared. These Arms were named the 'Lost Twenty-Four'. Their abilities and appearances were also unknown. Only their names remained in the record.

"That's right, Leone-san, and thanks for the chocolate earlier. It was delicious" Setsuna said. She knew who Leone was. She knew we're Night Raid.

She released her presence. It was strong. She was incredibly strong.

"Now that we've gotten pass the formalities." She said with a sadistic smile appearing on her face.

I took a deep breath. One strike. That was all I needed.

"Let's play…"

I was ready. I would take her down in one strike.

"…shall we?"

Setsuna smiled.

I used it.

_Murasame: Demise_

My sword sliced through the air…

…and suddenly, I didn't have it anymore.

_Drip._

My right side felt damp.

_Drip._

I turned around.

_Drip._

I saw Leone get impaled.

_Crack._ I felt something inside me shatter.

**Author's Note:**

Thank you all for reading 'Killing Spree'!

This chapter is the longest one I wrote so far, and every single POV was a huge pain in the ass. But if you all review, I'll do everything I can to give you works with both quantity and quality.

There is a bad news I must inform all my sweet, awesome readers:

I am starting high school!

My time on the computer will just plummet drastically probably because I'm trying to do something with an 'imaginary number'. Yeah, IT'S IMAGINARY!

If possible, I'll try to squeeze one more chapter out before school starts, but I'm not sure if I can pull it off…

I won't be able to update nearly as often as I want to until February, which is when our country has winter break. Sorry, but it's inevitable.

Now, there are TWENTY-ONE reviews just for Chapter 3! I love you all! Please keep it up!

Thank you, Kyuubi123 for being my beta!

Please look forward to the next chapter! Pray that I can survive high school!

Once again, thank you all for reading 'Killing Spree'! Review!


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